Who is alias ‘Zeus’, the ex-military man who escaped from a police station

This April 22, the Cúcuta Metropolitan Police confirmed that 17 people deprived of their liberty escaped from the police station in the city center, among whom is the retired major Juan Carlos Rodríguez Agudeloknown with alias of ‘Zeus’.

At the time of his capture on April 11, alias ‘Zeus’ He had in his possession 2 pistols, 47 grenades, 2 bars of explosives, 4 communication radios, 8 cell phones, 1 ballistic vest, 1 computer, 2 USBs, 3 van-type vehicles and $4,027,000 in cash.

After his escape, the authorities indicated that they had made several requests to the National Penitentiary and Prison Institute (INPEC) for Rodríguez Agudelo to be transferred to the Cúcuta Model Prison. However, they did not get a positive response.

Thus, this gang will be prosecuted before the Attorney General’s Office for the crime of manufacturing, trafficking and carrying of firearms.

Who is alias ‘Zeus’?

The retired major Juan Carlos Rodríguez Agudeloknown as alias ‘Zeus’is a former military man who has been accused of serious violations of human rights in extrajudicial executions, commonly called false positives.

Alias ​​’Zeus’ He began his criminal career in 1997 in Urabá, specifically in the Junín Battalion, where he was invited by former paramilitary chiefs such as alias ’00’ and David Hernández ’39’ to participate in the expansion plan of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) in 1997.

Later, he was transferred to the Vargas Battalion in the department of Meta, where even met Dairo Antonio Úsuga ‘Otoniel’ when he was just a leader of the Centauros Bloc of the Self-Defense Forces. There he maintained his illegal ties, which even extended to the 7th Army Brigade.

After passing through those units, where committed false positivesincluding the crime of a leader of the Patriotic Union (UP), among other events, ‘Zeus’ went to Magdalena Medio, specifically to the Bárbula Battalion, where he assured that the commander of the unit, Colonel (r) Pedro Avendaño Remolinaworked with paramilitaries and continued to strengthen their illegal ties.

Rodríguez Agudelo was also in the special forces of Caquetá (AFEUR) in Florencia, capital of Caqueteña; also in Guaviare and in anti-narcotics units, before move to Tolima in the Pijaos Battalion where he participated in the Cajamarca massacre and was aware of the Potosí massacre (all of the above within the framework of the Army-paramilitary takeover of the Anaime canyon).

In 2005, with all the questions in tow, Rodríguez Agudelo left the Army and later it was arrested with 200 kilos of cocaine and 30 million pesos cash.

Incredibly they gave him a house for prisonof which He escaped and joined the group ‘Los Machos’ of the drug trafficker Diego León Montoya ‘Don Diego’, a group of which he was the military leader and one of the men closest to ‘Don Diego’.

After his capture in 2008, he was sentenced to ten years in prison for the crimes of aggravated criminal conspiracy and training for illicit activities. Later, he added another sentence of twelve years for drug trafficking, homicide, torture, forced disappearance and other crimes.

During his deprivation of liberty, ‘Zeus’ was held at the Tolemaida Air Base, where he enjoyed extravagant privileges. At the time, he talked about the entry of liquor, parties and sex workers. Due to these episodes, the former military man was transferred to La Picota prison in Bogotá.

In the past, alias ‘Zeus’ has also made several accusations against different National Army officers and their possible links with members of the AUC.