Fugitive former agriculture minister sentenced to 17 years for embezzlement

[Judi Lynn]

Fugitive former agriculture minister sentenced to 17 years for embezzlement
Jul 17, 2014 posted by Adriaan Alsema



Colombia’s Supreme Court on Thursday sentenced former Agriculture Minister Andres Felipe Arias to 17 years and four months in prison for embezzling agricultural subsidies meant to stimulate the country’s ailing agricultural sector. The court had already convicted the minister earlier this month.

Prosecutors successfully demonstrated that the former minister under ex-President Alvaro Uribe had funneled state subsidies from the Agro Ingreso Seguro (AIS) program that were intended for poor farmers, but instead were given to wealthy and politically powerful families, a beauty queen, and even former paramilitaries.

Colombia’s Supreme Court determined that Arias “acted with total knowledge of the illegality of his conduct,” adding that he always had active participation and knowledge of the actions that surrounded the planning and execution of the AIS program while Minister of Agriculture, according to Colombia’s El Espectador newspaper.

Arias has categorically denied responsibility. The former minister was not present at both the conviction and the sentencing hearing as he fled Colombia allegedly days before the court declared him guilty of embezzlement. Foreign Minister Maria Angela Holguin on Thursday confirmed media reports that had alleged Arias is currently in Florida.

More:
http://colombiareports.co/former-colombia-agriculture-minister-sentenced-years-embezzlement/

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Will this put a dent in his boss's nice shiny Teflon coating?[/center]

[Louisiana1976]

1. I wonder if he'll be extradited to Colombia.

[Judi Lynn]

2. It would be the only right response. However, they'll probably go with the right-wing response,

and keep him nice and safe right there in Florida. Probably give him security agents, and come to tuck his little pudgy body into bed at night, and read him stories of oligarchs getting by with cheating, stealing from, exploiting, torturing, murdering the poor, and helpless.

[Judi Lynn]

3. Ex-Colombia minister ordered jailed on corruption

Posted on Thursday, 07.17.14
Ex-Colombia minister ordered jailed on corruption
By JOSHUA GOODMAN
Associated Press

BOGOTA, Colombia -- A close ally of former President Alvaro Uribe was sentenced in absentia Thursday to more than 17 years in prison for diverting farm subsidies in one of the most prominent corruption cases tied to Uribe's conservative administration.

Colombia's Supreme Court handed down the sentence against former Agriculture Minister Andres Felipe Arias, who was found guilty taking money intended for small-scale farmers and channeling it to some of the country's richest landowners. Arias, who is believed to be in the United States, has denied any wrongdoing.

The case is just one of a number of investigations against former officials that Uribe says are being urged on by President Juan Manuel Santos. The claim underscores the bitter feuding between the two former allies that dominated last month's presidential election and that is likely to continue when the still-powerful Uribe takes up a seat in the Senate on Sunday.

Among Uribe allies facing charges are the former president's top legal adviser and a former peace commissioner in his 2002-10 U.S.-backed administration. The former head of Colombia's disbanded secret intelligence agency is serving a 25-year sentence for ties to paramilitary groups and Santos' government is also seeking the extradition of another Uribe spy chief, Maria del PIlar Hurtado, who fled to Panama after being charged with deploying illegal wiretaps on Supreme Court justices, journalists and human rights activists.

More:
http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/07/17//v-fullstory/4241161/ex-colombia-minister-ordered-jailed.html#storylink=cpy