Senator Rubio urges Biden administration to reject a former warlord's extradition to Colombia

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Senator Rubio urges Biden administration to reject a former warlord’s extradition to Colombia

BY JOSHUA GOODMAN
Updated 3:08 PM EDT, August 23, 2023

MIAMI (AP) — Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio is calling on the Biden administration to reject Colombia’s request for extradition of a former warlord after he was named a peace envoy in the South American nation, a move that could see him avoid additional prison time for human rights abuses.

Salvatore Mancuso, the top commander of a former group of right-wing militias, completed a 12-year cocaine trafficking sentence in 2020. He has been held in U.S. custody ever since after Colombia at the last minute reversed a U.S. order that would’ve sent him to Italy, where he also has citizenship, and instead struck a deal for him to be sent back home to face justice.

This month, Colombian President Gustavo Petro named Mancuso a peace envoy to promote the disarming of other illegal armed groups that emerged after Mancuso’s United Self Defense Forces of Colombia, or AUC, laid down its weapons two decades ago. To facilitate the peacemaking role, Petro said he would seek to suspend prison sentences courts already imposed against Mancuso for his role in more than 1,500 acts of murder and forced disappearances.

Rubio, the top Republican on the Senate subcommittee dealing with Latin America, urged Attorney General Merrick Garland to reject Colombia’s extradition request until Petro revokes his offer to Mancuso or there are credible assurances he will serve out the sentences.

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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/rubio-colombia-extradition-warlord-mancuso-8ea9743d8020602609ba7a61c48180db

[jimfields33]

1. I highly doubt Biden would do this. Rubio watch out for Florida.