The former vice president of Colombia Germán Vargas Lleras referred from Neiva to the problem of public order in the department of Huila, the scourge of extortion and called for the ceasefire to be lifted and the Military Forces to return to retake the territory.
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The politician said that “every time I come I find security and public order more deteriorated, everyone extorted. The ceasefire has not served here in Huila except for these criminal structures to consolidate their territorial power.”
Vargas Lleras affirms that “all authorities in Huila ask that the ceasefire be lifted and allow the Military Forces to recover the territory.”
These statements by the former vice president come at the same time that the JEP accredited him as a victim of non-amnestiable crimes committed by the extinct FARC.
The decision was made because Vargas Lleras, when he was a senator, suffered two terrorist attacks by the FARC: one of them, on December 13, 2002, with a book bomb that amputated several fingers on his left hand and another, on October 10, 2005, with a car bomb. from which he emerged unharmed although the explosion left nine injured.
“After receiving the request for accreditation from Germán Vargas Lleras and reviewing the actions sent by the Attorney General’s Office, the JEP’s Truth Recognition Chamber recognized the former vice president as a direct victim (…) within the framework of the investigation of non-amnestiable crimes committed by the extinct FARC-EP in the armed conflict,” the court detailed in a statement.
The Jurisdiction indicated that Vargas Lleras meets the requirements to be accredited for several reasons: The events were committed by the FARC (they do not fall under the jurisdiction of any of the other cases investigated by the JEP), occurred before December 1, 2016 (when the peace agreement with the guerrilla came into force) and are directly related to the armed conflict.
“Through a letter addressed to former President Juan Manuel Santos, in 2020, the defunct FARC-EP recognized their responsibility for the two events and expressed their willingness to contribute to the truth in transitional justice,” the high court recalled.
Vargas Lleras may appear as a “special intervener” before the JEP, as well as ask questions or listen to FARC ex-combatants during hearings or the versions they give in statements to the court.
They will also be allowed to “present observations on these versions, participate in the proposal of their own sanctions and receive psychological support, among other aspects.”
Vargas Lleras, whose career has been characterized by the staunch defense of a strong hand against guerrilla groups, was part of the Santos government, which signed the peace agreement with the FARC in November 2016. although the then vice president kept his distance from the negotiations with that guerrilla.
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