Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Judi Lynn

(160,217 posts)
Wed Aug 24, 2016, 05:12 PM Aug 2016

US arrests Colombia’s fugitive former agriculture minister

Source: Colombia Reports

US arrests Colombia’s fugitive former agriculture minister

written by Adriaan Alsema August 24, 2016



The United States arrested Colombia’s fugitive former agriculture minister who in his home country is facing a 17-year sentence for the embezzlement of millions of dollars in tax money.

The arrest was announced on Wednesday by former President Alvaro Uribe, who has seen an increasingly large number of allies disappear behind bars because of their involvement in corruption scandals or ties to far-right paramilitary groups.

. . .

Former Agriculture Minister Andres Felipe Arias, a.k.a. “Little Uribe,” was sentenced to 17 years in prison in 2014 after the Supreme Court found him guilty of embezzling more than $20 million in public funds meant for poor farmers.

Instead, the money was funneled to wealthy families and political allies under the watch of Arias and ultimately Uribe, who was president at the time of the embezzlement.

Read more: http://colombiareports.com/us-arrests-colombias-fugitive-former-agriculture-minister/

1 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
US arrests Colombia’s fugitive former agriculture minister (Original Post) Judi Lynn Aug 2016 OP
Colombian official who fled corruption trial arrested in Weston Judi Lynn Aug 2016 #1

Judi Lynn

(160,217 posts)
1. Colombian official who fled corruption trial arrested in Weston
Tue Aug 30, 2016, 05:33 PM
Aug 2016

Colombian official who fled corruption trial arrested in Weston

August 24, 2016 8:04 PM


By Kyra Gurney
kgurney@MiamiHerald.com

Two years after evading corruption charges by fleeing to South Florida, a former Colombian agriculture minister and onetime presidential candidate was arrested Wednesday morning at his home in Weston.

Andrés Felipe Arias was in federal court Wednesday afternoon with his wrists and ankles shackled for the initial appearance in extradition proceedings to send him back to Colombia.

It has been over a year and a half since Colombia first asked U.S. authorities for Arias’ extradition, and now, on the day of Colombia’s historic peace agreement with the FARC guerrilla group, the U.S. government has detained the former minister.

Arias was convicted of embezzling millions from a subsidy program created to help poor farmers. He steered the money to wealthy landowners instead. His crime, as prosecutors saw it, illustrates the dynamics at the root of Colombia’s 50-year armed conflict: a perception by some that rural areas have been shut out of economic development.

More: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/cuba/article97695987.html#storylink=cpy

Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»US arrests Colombia’s fug...