Latin America
Related: About this forumColombia's former president 'blackmailed' former Cali Cartel bosses
by Adriaan Alsema September 8, 2021
The former leaders of the Cali Cartel accused Colombias former President Andres Pastrana of blackmailing them into accusing his predecessor of corruption.
Pastrana last week published a letter in which Gilberto and Miguel Rodriguez claimed that former President Ernesto Samper knew in 1994 that the drug cartel was funding his campaign.
In a letter to the media, the extradited drug lords said Pastrana got the Rodriguez brothers to sign off on the letter through vulgar blackmail that allegedly took place in 2000.
According to the Cali Cartel founders, the former presidents personal physician visited the drug lords in prison and, on behalf of Pastrana, said they would be extradited to the United States unless they signed off on the letter.
The Rodriguez brothers said that the letter was never meant to made public, but to silence Samper over corruption scandals that were embarrassing Pastrana.
Pastrana was one of the main critics of his liberal predecessor whose former Defense Minister was imprisoned for receiving money from the Cali Cartel in 1994.
More:
https://colombiareports.com/colombias-former-president-blackmailed-cali-cartel-bosses/
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Ex-Colombian president releases video of chat with former kidnapper
You are a very lucky man, Pablo Escobars jailed hitman tells Andrés Pastrana
CRISTINA CASTRO
Bogotá - 24 SEP 2013 - 12:28 CDT
When former President Andrés Pastrana arrived at the jail in Cómbita, Boyacá department, Jhon Jairo Popeye Velásquez Vásquez immediately greeted him. Twenty-five years ago I kidnapped you and now I am the one who is being held; how life changes, he said.
With this anecdote, Pastrana, who governed from 1998 to 2002, released a video on Monday that showed him meeting with his former captor, who held him for nearly a week in 1988.
Pablo Escobar, the notorious head of the Medellín cartel, ordered the kidnapping of Pastrana, who was a journalist at the time, to pressure the Colombian government into halting the extradition of drug traffickers to the United States.
The meeting between Pastrana and his kidnapper took place on June 28, 2012, but it wasnt until Monday that the video was released as part of the inauguration of an interactive website that will serve as his presidential library.
The boss had had you in his sights since 1983, Popeye tells Pastrana in the video. The kidnapping was well planned [
]. For a criminal, to have someone like you in captivity is something out of this world because you represented many things; it was like having Colombia and the government wrapped around his finger. You were the republics most important heir apparent.
At the time, the former Colombian leader was Escobars most important victim, to be used as a bargaining chip to pressure the government. Not only was he a news anchor for a nationally known show and a candidate in the Bogota mayoral race, but he is also the son of a past president, Misael Pastrana Borrero, who served from 1970 to 1974.
More:
https://english.elpais.com/elpais/2013/09/24/inenglish/1380043422_621086.html
Pablo Escobar with his beloved assassin.
Judi Lynn
(160,218 posts)~ ~ ~
The former president of Colombia publishes images of his encounter with 'Popeye', the drug lord who held him captive for seven days. "You doctor are very lucky," says the inmate
CRISTINA CASTRO PLACEHOLDER IMAGE
Bogotá - SEP 24, 2013 - 01:12 CDT
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When former Colombian President Andrés Pastrana arrived at the Cómbita prison, Jhon Jairo Velázquez Vazquez, alias Popeye , received him with the following phrase: The turns of life. 25 years ago I had him kidnapped and today you have me in prison .
With that anecdote, the ex-president showed this Monday morning in Bogotá part of the video of his encounter with the executioner who held him captive for a week almost 25 years ago. Pablo Escobar, the capo of the Medellín Cartel, had the then journalist kidnapped to pressure the Colombian government to prohibit the extradition of drug traffickers to the United States. The meeting took place over a year ago, on June 28, 2012. Today the video was released at the launch of the former president's presidential library.
The boss had him in his sights since 1983. His kidnapping was highly planned Having you for a bandit like one is something of the other world. Because you represented many things, it was having Colombia and the government, because you are the most important dolphin in the Republic , Popeye tells Pastrana in the video.
Indeed, the former Colombian president was a valuable person at that time for Escobar's cause. Not only had he served as a news director and was a candidate for mayor of the country's capital, but he was the son of former President Misael Pastrana, the most important spokesman for the Conservative Party at the time. That community weighed heavily in any decision that Congress might make regarding extradition.
More:
https://elpais.com/internacional/2013/09/24/actualidad/1379985025_060509.html