Colombian Hitmen Freed
in Colombia
"Costa Rica respects the
decisions of the
Colombian authorities,
as they respect ours",
said the ministro de
Seguridad Pública,
Fernando Berrocal,
commenting on the
release of the five
Colombian deported from
Costa Rica last week,
alleged hired to kill
minister Berrocal and
the ministro de la
Presidencia, Rodrigo
Arias.
The five men, idenitied
by their last names,
Angulo, Martínez,
Casares, Flores and
Olaya, were arrested in
Costa Rica for being
part of a hit squad of
the Cartel de Norte del
Valle in Chocó,
Colombia, reprisal for
Costa Rica's
confiscation of more
than 40 tonnes of
illegal drugs from
Colombia during the past
12 months, along with 52
drug traffickers.
The five were deported
last Saturday morning.
Yesterday, a Colombian
court released the men
who had been handed over
to the Departamento
Administrativo de
Seguridad (DAS) en
Bogotá - the Colombian
security service.
The men were free due to
lack of prior criminal
history, not even
a parking ticket", said
Oscar Galvis, a
spokesperson for the
DAS.
According to Galvis, the
suspects gave their
declarations or what
occurred and all the
Colombian officials know
about the case is what
they read in the press
in Costa Rica, who added
that Costa Rican
officials have not
handed over any
documentation of the
event.
The vice-minisiter of
Seguridad, Rafael
Gutiérrez, said that the
deportation was based on
security measures and
the fact that the men
were in the country
illegally.
"Here (in Costa Rica) we
have no traces of having
committed any crime",
said Gutiérrez.
Although the men are
free, Berrocal said tha
the investigation in
Costa Rica will
continue, as the same is
expected in Colombia.
The five are barred from
entering Costa Rica for
the next five years.
According to Casa
Presidencial, Rodrigo
Arias, brother of
president Oscar Arias,
has not made any comment
on the matter, saying
that minister Berrocal
will be the voice for
the government. |
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