Ex-President of Colombian Congress Jailed

[Judi Lynn]

Caracas,
Friday
September 24,2010

Ex-President of Colombian Congress Jailed


BOGOTA – A senator and former president of the Colombian Congress has been jailed for alleged collusion with far-right paramilitary organizations, judicial officials said.

Sen. Javier Caceres was arrested last week and ordered jailed on Wednesday by the Supreme Court, which found cause to continue the investigation.

Caceres, who was president of Congress from July 2009 to July 2010, is being investigated for his “alleged ties to illegal armed groups.”

The arrest order was issued following statements by Edward Cobos Tellez and Uber Banquez, ex-heads of a bloc of the AUC federation of right-wing militias, which ostensibly demobilized more than 31,000 fighters between the end of 2003 and mid-2006 as part of a peace process with former President Alvaro Uribe’s administration.

The paramilitaries said in statements to judicial authorities that Caceres held “meetings and pacts” with them for help in winning elections.

More:
http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=367971&CategoryId=12393

[Judi Lynn]

1. Earlier: 'Parapolitics' senator rushed to hospital .

'Parapolitics' senator rushed to hospital .
Wednesday, 15 September 2010 06:52 Kirsten Begg

http://colombiareports.com.nyud.net:8090/pics/politics/javier_caceres.jpg

Senator Javier Caceres was rushed to a Bogota hospital Tuesday following his arrest for alleged paramilitary links. He was reportedly at risk of entering a diabetic coma.

Osvaldo Barrera, director of the Bogota clinic that attended to Caceres, said that that while the former senator had a sugar imbalance, the condition should not prevent him from cooperating with authorities and the judicial process could proceed as normal.

"He is conscious, obviously the imbalance is evident and if it continues to progress there could be serious problems. This is a process that depends on his body, but it can be controlled with medicine and a rigorous diet," Barrera said.

Caceres will remain in hospital for at least two days, which means that his arraignment hearing, which was scheduled for Wednesday, will have to be postponed.

Caceres, who was Senate president from July 2009 to July 2010, was arrested in Bogota Tuesday over allegations that paramilitary group "Heroes de Montes de Maria" financed his election campaign. He maintains his innocence.

http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/11843-arrested-senator-rushed-to-hospital.html