International
Uribe Reacts to Mancuso’s Return: “Accused of Paramilitarism While Extraditing Them,” States Former President
Former Colombian President Álvaro Uribe reiterated on Wednesday that he has been accused of paramilitarism throughout his life, but pointed out that he was the one who extradited the top leaders of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) to the United States, in reference to the return of ex-leader Salvatore Mancuso to the country.
“I know I must make a greater effort to combine my defense with my task of argumentative opposition and the fight for Colombia’s future. How strange, they accuse me of being a paramilitary and yet I extradited them, and the only paramilitary who claims to have met with me is Mancuso,” Uribe said in a video posted on his social media.
Mancuso arrived in Bogotá on Tuesday from the United States, deported after serving a sentence for drug trafficking, and stated that he will comply with “the restrictive conditions” imposed by Colombian justice.
The former AUC commander arrived on a chartered flight of deportees that landed at the Military Air Transport Command (Catam) in the Colombian capital and will now have to appear before justice for dozens of crimes committed during the armed conflict.
He then entered La Picota prison in southern Bogotá and was placed at the disposal of the judge in charge of executing sentences of Justice and Peace in the Colombian capital and the magistrate of Guarantees Control in Barranquilla (north), who are the competent authorities to make decisions about his freedom, according to the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP).
Dangerous Relationships
Last year, the former paramilitary leader stated during a truth-telling hearing before the JEP that the AUC supported political candidates seeking to reach the Colombian Congress in the March 2010 elections and also provided backing for the campaigns of former Presidents Uribe and Andrés Pastrana.
“In 2002, the United Self-Defense Forces directly intervened in the congressional elections on March 10, 2002, and also the presidential elections in May 2002 (won by Uribe),” Mancuso said at the time.
In response, Uribe stated that Mancuso is lying: “He never met with me. We greeted each other a few times because of my connection to Montería (capital of the department of Córdoba). We did not have conversations. During the presidential campaign, I refused to meet with him, as was publicly established, and I also publicly disavowed his support in Barrancabermeja.”
“Mancuso has made a point of accusing me, lying. I have faced everything,” he added.
Mancuso’s Criminal Life
Mancuso laid down his arms in 2006, along with the majority of the AUC members, a group responsible for most of the crimes committed during the armed conflict according to the Truth Commission.
His demobilization took place following negotiations with Uribe’s government (2002-2010), which extradited him to the United States in 2008 along with 13 other paramilitary leaders because they remained involved in drug trafficking.
In the United States, Mancuso was sentenced in 2015 to 15 years and 10 months in prison for drug trafficking.
However, in March 2020, the US judge who sentenced him considered the sentence fulfilled by validating the two years he spent in prison in Colombia as part of the sentence, as well as the time he spent in prison in the United States awaiting trial.
As part of the agreement between the AUC and the government, the paramilitaries availed themselves of the Justice and Peace Law, which provided for maximum sentences of eight years in prison in exchange for collaboration in clarifying crimes.
International
FBI Says It Disrupted Alleged Plot Targeting White House During UFC Event
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced Tuesday that it had disrupted an alleged plot to attack the White House during a major Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event held in Washington over the weekend.
FBI Director Kash Patel said the threat was identified on June 10 through a joint investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies. According to Patel, swift action by authorities led to the arrest of several suspects before the alleged plan could be carried out.
“On June 10, the FBI and our law enforcement partners became aware of a potential threat targeting UFC America 250 in Washington. Thanks to the rapid response of the FBI and our partners, multiple individuals are now in custody, and the alleged attack plans were stopped before they could be executed,” Patel said.
He emphasized that the operation demonstrated the ability of security agencies to detect and prevent potential threats at large public gatherings. Patel added that the investigation remains ongoing and that additional details will be released as court proceedings move forward.
According to reports from U.S. media outlets, five individuals have been arrested so far. The suspects were identified as Tycen Proper of Ohio, Daniel Eskridge of Missouri, Abraham Hermosillo Álvarez of Nebraska, and Bryan Omar Roa and Michael Alan Thomas, both from California. Authorities are also investigating the possible involvement of 18 additional individuals.
Investigators allege that the plot involved the use of drones equipped with explosives to target buildings near the sporting event. The plan reportedly sought to trigger a mass evacuation and direct attendees toward areas where snipers were allegedly positioned. Authorities further claim that a second phase of the operation included an attempted assault on the White House.
The U.S. Secret Service confirmed that it worked closely with the FBI throughout the operation. Secret Service Director Sean Curran stated that security teams conducted extensive efforts to identify those involved and eliminate any threat to attendees and protected facilities.
The investigation reportedly uncovered communications conducted through the messaging application Signal, where several suspects allegedly discussed details related to the planned attack. A forensic analysis of one of the seized mobile phones revealed at least 23 users participating in conversations connected to the alleged planning activities.
Court documents also indicate that some of the suspects allegedly intended to target U.S. political figures. Among the reported targets were members of Congress who had received contributions from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Investigators further stated that one of the primary suspects had posted antisemitic messages and expressions of support for Adolf Hitler on social media, evidence that is now part of the ongoing judicial investigation.
International
Brazil helicopter crash in Rio de Janeiro kills six, including pilots and international figures
The Rio de Janeiro Civil Police confirmed on Monday the identities of three of the six victims killed in a helicopter collision that occurred the previous morning in the Recreio dos Bandeirantes neighborhood.
All three identified victims are Brazilian nationals: the pilots of the aircraft, Charles Marsillac and Alexandre Souza, and music producer Lucas Brito.
The identities of the three foreign victims have not yet been officially confirmed. They include U.S. singer Oliver Tree, Argentine YouTuber Gaspar Prim—known online as “Gaspi”—and Argentine producer Lucas Vignale, all of whom were listed on the flight manifest.
According to police, forensic experts from the Legal Medical Institute have already collected DNA samples in order to identify the foreign victims, whose bodies were severely burned.
One of the helicopters crashed into a private parking lot, triggering a fire that destroyed around twenty electric vehicles. That aircraft was carrying the pilot and four passengers, including the three foreign nationals.
The second helicopter, which had only the pilot on board, crashed approximately 100 meters away from the first impact site.
Rio de Janeiro’s deputy mayor, Eduardo Cavaliere, stated that both helicopters were operating transport flights toward Angra dos Reis on the Rio coastline and toward the mountainous region of the state.
Oliver Tree, 32, was in Brazil as part of an international tour. The artist, known for songs such as “Life Goes On” and “Miss You,” had performed to a large audience in São Paulo a week earlier and was scheduled to continue his tour in Europe.
Argentine content creator Gaspar Prim, 23, had built a following of more than two million on social media platforms, gaining popularity for humorous and often controversial video productions that had occasionally been removed by hosting platforms.
International
Mexico and U.S. Launch New Bilateral Security Group to Combat Fentanyl and Organized Crime
The governments of Mexico and the United States officially launched the Bilateral Implementation Group (BIG) on Friday, a new initiative aimed at strengthening cooperation on security issues and enhancing joint efforts against transnational crime.
In a statement, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson announced that he and Deputy Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco addressed officials from both countries who will lead what he described as a “new phase of bilateral cooperation.” The initiative seeks to curb the flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs, illegal firearms, and human trafficking across the shared border.
Earlier this week, Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had confirmed that senior security officials from both nations would meet in Mexico City on June 12 to review and advance existing cooperation agreements.
Through social media, Ambassador Johnson explained that the new bilateral group is designed to improve coordination between the two governments by placing greater emphasis on implementation, accountability, and measurable results. The effort will also focus on combating transnational criminal organizations operating across North America.
“The participation of 15 U.S. government agencies, working alongside their Mexican counterparts, reflects the seriousness of this effort and our shared commitment to delivering measurable results,” Johnson said.
The ambassador also highlighted several achievements that he attributed to ongoing bilateral cooperation. According to Johnson, maritime drug trafficking into the United States has declined by more than 95 percent, while overdose deaths have fallen by 35 percent.
He further noted that Mexican authorities have seized more than 400 metric tons of illegal drugs and dismantled over 2,300 clandestine laboratories as part of their efforts to combat organized crime and narcotics production.
The launch of the Bilateral Implementation Group marks the latest step in the security partnership between Mexico and the United States, as both countries seek to address shared challenges related to drug trafficking, arms smuggling, human trafficking, and the activities of criminal networks operating across the region.
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