Colombia’s Supreme Court called former AUC head Salvatore Mancuso to testify in the “parapolitics” trial of former Senator Mario Salomon Nader, Colombian media reported Monday.
According to witnesses, the politician from the Cordoba department attended meetings, organized by former paramilitary commanders such as Mancuso and Rodrigo Tovar Pupo alias “Jorge 40,” in which agreements were made with several people hoping to obtain a political seat.
The former Liberal senator allegedly made pacts with the Norte and Elmer Cardenas Blocs of the AUC to assure his ascent to the Colombian Congress in 2002. Mancuso, currently imprisoned the United States, is the former supreme leader of the now-demobilized AUC.
In addtion, the high court is ordering the transfer of the testimony of Eduardo Cobos Tellez, alias “Diego Vecino,” who declared that Salomon Nader had links with paramilitaries and asked for the assistance of members of the Elmer Cardenas Block of the AUC to support his 2002 congressional campaign.
Salomon Nader claims his due process is being violated and that the court is discriminating unjustifiably against evidence and witnesses requested by the defense, according to Caracol Radio.
Salomon Nader was arrested in September 2010 and formally charged in May 2011.