Uribe Speaks Out in Support of Longer Drug sentences; Nine Suspects Killed by Police in Brazil; Founding FARC Member Indicted

By Jessalyn Mastrianni
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

BOGOTA, Colombia – President Alvaro Uribe has now called for the United States to impose harsher sentences on drug-traffickers.  Over 900 cocaine traffickers from Colombia have been extradited to the United States in the past five years and most have been negotiating sentence deals. 

Even paramilitary members have recently been extradited on drug charges and face prison sentences that are much shorter than they would have faced if charged with their crimes against humanity.  Uribe and other Colombian officials are not trying to push American officials to impose harsher sentences and lessen plea bargains from the prosecutors.  Since Colombia and the United States have been strong allies against the drug trafficking networks, this disagreement is surprising but could be a good step toward harsher punishments.

For more information, please see:
AP – Uribe to ask US for longer trafficking sentences – 2 August 2008

VOA News – Colombia Paramilitaries Plead Guilty to US Drug Charges – 30 July 2008

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RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – Police killed ten suspected drug traffickers after being cornered by gunmen on Monday.  The police were surrounded by the gang members while trying to retrieve a stolen truck.  Helicopter reinforcements appeared on the scene and a shootout ensued, killing ten people and injuring one police officer and five civilians.  Five others were arrested.

The slums in the outskirts of Rio De Janeiro are overrun by drug gangs and the police there have killed over 1,3300 civilians last year in operations such as this one.

On Monday night, friends and family of the dead and wounded gathered around the hospital where the victims were taken, and police dispersed pepper spray to scatter the crowd.

For more information, please see:
Reuters – Police kill 10 suspects in Rio slum shootout – 5 August 2008

AP – Brazil police kill 9 alleged gangsters – 5 August 2008

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WASHINGTON D.C. - Hely Mejia Mendoza, a senior member of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), was indicted on Friday by a grand jury in Washington, D.C. for his role in the hostage-taking of three Americans.  The hostages were held for five years until their rescue by military forces last month.

Hely Mejia Mendoza, 55, better known by his FARC alias “Martin Sombra” faces seven counts of terrorism and weapon charges.  He could spend a maximum term of 60 years.

Sombra was a founding member of FARC and became the most senior member of FARC ever captured in February 2008.

For more information, please see:
PR Newswire – Senior Member of FARC Terrorist Organization Indicted for his Role in Hostage-Taking of Three Americans Recently Rescued in Colombia – 4 August 2008

Reuters – U.S. charges Colombian rebel over hostage-taking – 4 August 2008