A former paramilitary leader accused ex-Peace Commissioner Luis Carlos Restrepo, who oversaw the demobilization of the AUC, of inflating the numbers of demobilized paramilitary members, Colombian media reported.
The ex-head of the Resistencia Tayrona Front Jose Gelvez Albarracin, alias “Canoso,” alleges that Restrepo was not satisfied with the 800 paramilitary members who demobilized on March 3, 2006 and asked Canoso for more.
Because the paramilitary leader could not provide more demobilized members, the official number was inflated to 1,160 members.
Extradited paramilitary leader Hernan Giraldo Serna confirmed Canoso’s claim.
Restrepo has been investigated for dressing up civilians as paramilitary members as well as FARC guerrillas in fake demobilizations.