(CNN Español) – A U.S. federal judge has ordered the son of former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancort to pay $ 36 million to the former members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces and more than a dozen members of Colombia’s FARC guerrillas (FARC). According to court documents obtained by CNN on Thursday, in the early 2000s.
Jan. On the 4th, Pennsylvania Interim District Chief Justice Matthew W. Bran said they ruled against the defendants because they failed to appear in court.
In total there are 14 defendants: according to court documents, the FARC is a panel and 13 former members. Among them stands Luciano Marin, also known as “Ivan Marquez”, who is now in hiding because he was one of the leaders of the ousted guerrillas’ dissidents.
CNN is working to find out the whereabouts of the others named in the case, although at least two of them, Henry Castellanos Carson, alias “Romana” and Heli Megia Mendoza, or “Martin Sombra” may have died. Conflicts, according to Colombian officials.
The lawsuit, filed by Lawrence Dello in 2018, was filed by Scarinci Hollenbeck, a law firm representing the FARC and defendants, accused of causing “significant distress” when his mother was abducted.
“No amount of money can make up for the time Lawrence Delloy lost with his mother, nor can he cure the depression at the hands of the FARC. We are proud to have helped establish some justice,” said Robert E. Schmidt. Levy said in a statement. Of the company.
According to prosecutors, Delloye, who was 13 when Betancourt was abducted, will receive US $ 12 million, the rest of which will be used to pay for legal representation costs.
Abduction of Ingrid Botancourt
Ingrid Bettencourt was abducted by the FARC in February 2002 while running for president of Colombia. He was released in July 2008 during what became known as “Operation Czech” by the military, including three Americans and a dozen soldiers and police officers.
As of this Thursday, Betancourt has not spoken publicly about the verdict. CNN contacted its news correspondent on Thursday and said they would release a position soon, although they did not specify when.
In June 2021, former members of the FARC acknowledged their responsibility for the abduction victims and apologized to all those affected by these loss of freedom. On that occasion, Bettencourt thanked him for admitting his guilt, however, pointing out that compensation for the victims was still an issue to be resolved.
– Fernando Ramos of CNN en Español in Bogot contributed to this report.
