Arrest warrant to be issued for former Colombian official

[Judi Lynn]

Panamá, domingo 24 de abril de 2011
Arrest warrant to be issued for former Colombian official

Prosecutors in Colombia plan to issue an arrest warrant for former intelligence director María del Pilar Hurtado, who is living in Panama.

Hurtado is accused of ordering illegal wiretaps while working under former President Álvaro Uribe, who served between 2002 and 2010.

Hurtado and her former colleague Bernardo Moreno will be charged with illegal interception of communications, abuse of public office and falsification of documents.

The pair allegedly ordered wiretaps involving magistrates, opposition politicians, human rights activists and journalists.

More:
http://mensual.prensa.com/mensual/contenido/2011/04/24/hoy/english/news_6955.asp

[Peace Patriot]

1. Well, that's gonna put the CIA (and the Obama team) in a tricky position,

since I think they arranged Hurtado's flight to the U.S. client state of Panama and her getting instant asylum there. Panama's rightwing president took a lot of heat for this from respecters of the law including (but not limited to) Colombia's prosecutors. He had to have been sorely pressured to do it. And who has that kind of clout in Panama?

There is a news photo of Uribe dropping in a for a little chat with Martinelli. That must have been a short meeting. It doesn't take long to tell somebody what their life is worth if they cross you. But I don't think that's all there was to it.

Uribe, for all his death squad connections, is out of power. And the CIA and the U.S. are very much in power, in Panama. They are the ones who got this done, I'm pretty sure--in their on-going efforts to protect Uribe from prosecution. This is only one action of many by Obama/Clinton/Panetta to keep Uribe from being deposed, interrogated, investigated and/or prosecuted. And I'm also pretty sure of their motive--Uribe is the connector to Bush Junta crimes in Colombia that they are covering up.

Latin Americans are particularly touchy about their sovereignty and their legal systems being sneered at. They really don't like to offend each other, on this matter. I learned this when the U.S./Colombia dropped 500 lb U.S. "smart bombs" on Ecuador's border, slaughtering 25 sleeping people in a FARC guerrilla camp, including an Ecuadoran citizen. ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE. The rest of Latin America came down like a ton of bricks on Colombia, and extracted a full apology and a promise NEVER TO DO THAT AGAIN, from Uribe. it was a sight to see! (I watched the Rio Group proceedings on it).

The bombing was NOT a "hot pursuit' situation. Uribe lied to Ecuador's president about that and commenced the bombing and raid over the border without the president of Ecuador's permission. This lawless act nearly started a war between Colombia/the U.S. and Ecuador/Venezuela. The violation of international law, of diplomatic protocol and of the rights of an Ecuador citizen--who was summarily executed without trial--were paramount in the discussion.

The background is that it was the camp of the FARC's chief hostage and peace negotiator, who was trying to end Colombia's 70 year civil war--and numerous parties were involved in those negotiations, including the president of France, envoys of the French, Spanish and Swiss governments, hostages' families, the presidents of Argentina and Venezuela, and others. But the focus of the condemnation of Colombia was LEGAL--their lack of respect for Ecuador's sovereign rights.

Very, very touchy matter--and a long history of U.S. "divide and conquer" tactics on this matter, as well as an intense struggle by Latin America to establish the rule of law within and between Latin American countries, and visa vis the U.S.--so that even a rightwing president of U.S. client state has to be careful.

I will also never forget hearing the rightwing president of Mexico, Felipe Calderon--whom the Bush Junta helped to install--publicly lecturing Bush Jr. on the sovereignty of Latin American countries (and using Venezuela as an example). Calderon had a great need to at least appear to be supporting Latin American sovereignty.

Ergo: It must have taken a lot of get Martinelli to spit on Colombia's courts and prosecutors by giving instant asylum to Hurtado--even for his pal Uribe.

So, what is the U.S. going to do about this warrant against Hurtado? What will Panama do? Will Colombia issue an extradition request? And what will the U.S./Panama do in response? The U.S. may spit on Venezuela's and Cuba's extradition requests. Will they do that to Colombia?

There may be quite a lot at stake as to their cover up of Bush Junta crimes in Colombia.

[rabs]

2. If and when the warrant is issued

I suspect that Martinelli will try to block Hurtado's extradition by invoking the "asylum" issue, in order not to betray his good friend alvarito.

There are erroneous reports that Hurtado was granted "political asylum." That is not so.

She was granted "territorial asylum," which I understand is one step below "political asylum." In the past, South American nations have steadfastly retained the right to grant asylum and to reject extraditing whoever was granted it.

I am not sure exactly what protections are granted under "territorial asylum."

But in the event Martinelli is pressured by the Panama Supreme or other courts to boot her back to Bogota, I suspect Hurtado will sing. And alvarito could be in very hot water.

[Judi Lynn]

3. Panama could face negative impacts in case of fleeing Colombian spy chief .

Panama could face negative impacts in case of fleeing Colombian spy chief .
Sunday, 24 April 2011 20:33

Claims by President Ricardo Martinelli that the harboring of a Colombian fleeing justice would not have negative impacts have been challenged.

A specialist in international affairs Julio Berrios said Colombia could reduce its embassy in Panama City if the government refuses to hand over Maria del Pilar Hurtado, former head of the Department of Administrative Security (DAS). She is accused of espionage.

Speaking to radio station KW Continente , Berrios said there were various ways in which the government in Bogotá could express its anger over the reluctance of Panama to extradite the former official, accused of eavesdropping and illegal surveillance against political leaders, opposed to government Former President Alvaro Uribe (2002-2010) and of wiretapping judges and journalists.

~snip~
Hurtado is wanted by the Attorney General of Colombia, Viviane Morales, to answer for her connection to one of the most serious cases of espionage in this country. The criminal charges include conspiracy, illegal interception of communications, misuse of public office and falsifying documents.

http://www.newsroompanama.com/panama/2675-panama-could-face-negative-impacts-in-case-of-fleeing-colombian-spy-chief.html

[naaman fletcher]

4. Martinelli doesn't care

He doesn't listen to his own judges, legislator, or voters. He couldn't care less what Colombia thinks.