Colombian ex-paramilitary leader jailed for crimes against indigenous communities

Former paramilitary leader, Salvatore Mancuso, has been sentenced to 40 years in prison by a Colombian court for crimes against Indigenous communities in La Guajira province, including killings, forced disappearances, and the displacement of civilians between 2002 and 2006.

The special tribunal, which handles cases from Colombia’s armed conflict, said Mancuso was responsible for 117 crimes committed by fighters under his command. 

However, the court added that his sentence could be reduced to eight years if he actively collaborates with truth and reparation efforts for the victims of his former paramilitary group.

Mancuso, 61, returned to Colombia in 2024 after serving a long prison term in the United States for drug trafficking. Several requests to transfer him to Italy, where he also holds citizenship, were denied.

In the late 1990s, Mancuso was a commander in the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC), a right-wing paramilitary faction linked to drug traffickers, the military, and local elites. 

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The group targeted left-wing insurgents but also killed hundreds of innocent villagers, contributing to a conflict that left at least 450,000 dead between 1985 and 2018.

The AUC began disarming in 2003 under a government deal that offered reduced sentences to its leaders, but successor militias, including the Gulf Clan, continue to operate in Colombia. 

After being freed from a U.S. prison in February 2024 and deported, Mancuso remained in custody for several months before being released in July. Upon his return, President Gustavo Petro named him a “peace facilitator,” allowing him to mediate in talks with armed groups.

Colombia continues to pursue peace negotiations with groups like the Gulf Clan, which the U.S. designated a foreign terrorist organization in December.

(The Guardian UK)