Demobilized paramilitary commander Uber Banquez, alias “Juancho Dique”, testified before Colombia’s Supreme Court Tuesday that he had met the current Senate President Javier Carceles to offer him a role in the AUC’s political project in northern Bolivar.
Juancho Dique, who headed the AUC bloc “Heroes de los Montes de Maria” until it began demobilization in 2005, said that the main aim of his meeting with Caceres was to offer the politician a deal, in which the paramilitaries would not target members of the army or Bolivar politicians, in return for Carceres’ involvement in paramilitary political projects in the region.
The former paramilitary was testifying at the trial of ex congressman Miguel Angel Rangel, who himself is accused of ‘parapolitics’.
Juancho Dique used the opportunity to repeat allegations of links between the AUC and a string of other Colombian politicians such as Alfonzo Gomez Cossio, former Governor of the Bolivar department Libardo Simancas and the congressmen William Montes and Viciente Biel.
In June 2010, Juancho Dique and fellow former AUC commander Edwards Cobos, alias “Diego Vecino” were found guilty of a series of violent acts, including the massacre of 11 villagers from Mampujan in the Bolivar department. A Colombian court sentenced both men to 8 years in prison and ordered them to pay $385,000 in compensation to the victims.