EXTRADITION OF EVER VELOZA (HH) POSTPONED

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 003018 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/18/2018 TAGS: KJUS PGOV PREL PTER CO SUBJECT: EXTRADITION OF EVER VELOZA (HH) POSTPONED REF: BOGOTA 2901 Classified By: Political Counselor John S. Creamer. Reason: 1.4(b,d) ¶1. (U) On August 13, the Ministry of Interior and Justice announced it would postpone the extradition of former paramilitary Ever Veloza (aka HH) for at least six months to allow further testimony of his crimes under the Justice and Peace Law (JPL). Human rights groups and victims organizations lauded the move as a POSITIVE step towards truth, justice, and reconciliation. Many had expressed concern that extradition at this critical moment would halt progress in obtaining information about the location of remains and details of his crimes. Veloza has already acknowledged his complicity in over 3000 murders, mostly in Cauca department and Uraba (reftel). In his August 14 testimony, he implicated Guaviare Governor Oscar Lopez with ties to narcotrafficker Vicente Castano. ¶2. (C) Minister of Interior and Justice (MOIJ) Fabio Valencia Cossio told us the GOC faced intense pressure from the Supreme Court and human rights groups to gain access to the fifteen former paramilitary leaders extradited in May. He added that if the GOC allowed Veloza's extradition now, it would reignite tensions between the court and the executive. Cossio hoped that delaying the extradition to allow Veloza to testify in the JPL process would show the GOC commitment to holding the paramilitaries accountable and defuse the political pressure. MIOJ officials later told us that the official resolution approving Veloza's extradition would postpone the extradition for up to four months to allow him to testify. The resolution would also include a clause clarifying that the executive retains sole authority to determine whether Veloza is sufficiently cooperating in the JPL process to justify the postponement. If not, the executive would authorize his immediate extradition. BROWNFIELD