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U.S. NEWS Thursday 24 augusT 2023
Senator Rubio urges Biden administration to reject a former

warlord’s extradition to Colombia

By JOSHUA GOODMAN has appealed and those
Associated Press Writer proceedings are ongoing,
MIAMI (AP) — Florida Re- his attorneys and prosecu-
publican Sen. Marco Ru- tors said in a joint filing Tues-
bio is calling on the Biden day in Washington federal
administration to reject court.
Colombia’s request for ex- Manuel Renteria, an attor-
tradition of a former war- ney for Mancuso, declined
lord after he was named a to comment.
peace envoy in the South Formed as self-defense
American nation, a move forces by wealthy ranch-
that could see him avoid ers in the 1980s to counter
additional prison time for leftist rebel extortion and
human rights abuses. kidnapping, the far-right
Salvatore Mancuso, the militias seized control of
top commander of a for- much of Colombia’s Ca-
mer group of right-wing ribbean coast in the late
militias, completed a 12- 1990s, killing thousands and
year cocaine trafficking stealing millions of acres of
sentence in 2020. He has land while wresting control
been held in U.S. custody of lucrative drug routes. In
ever since after Colombia 2001, the U.S. designated
at the last minute reversed the AUC a foreign terror or-
a U.S. order that would’ve ganization.
sent him to Italy, where he Mancuso, 59, was one of
also has citizenship, and in- the rural paramilitary bosses
stead struck a deal for him Colombian paramilitary warlord Salvatore Mancuso is escorted by U.S. DEA agents upon his arrival to most eagerly embrace
to be sent back home to to Opa-locka, Florida, May 13, 2008. Associated Press reconciliation efforts when
face justice. he and some 30,000 other
This month, Colombian es courts already imposed ances he will serve out the Wednesday to Garland. right-wing fighters demobi-
President Gustavo Pet- against Mancuso for his sentences. Rubio’s Senate office pro- lized under the 2005 Justice
ro named Mancuso a role in more than 1,500 acts “To allow Mancuso to not vided a copy of the letter and Peace law. Seeking
peace envoy to promote of murder and forced dis- only walk free in Colom- to The Associated Press. to fulfill his commitment to
the disarming of other il- appearances. bia, but also represent the Mancuso is currently seek- speak out, he openly talk-
legal armed groups that Rubio, the top Republican Colombian government in ing asylum in the United ed about how a third of
emerged after Mancuso’s on the Senate subcom- negotiations with drug traf- States, arguing that he Colombia’s congress was
United Self Defense Forces mittee dealing with Latin fickers currently working to could be killed if moved to elected with paramilitary
of Colombia, or AUC, laid America, urged Attorney flood our community with Colombia, a country strug- support, confessions that
down its weapons two de- General Merrick Garland narcotics, would be an gling to heal from decades led to the conviction of
cades ago. To facilitate to reject Colombia’s extra- insult to the thousands of of bloody, drug-fueled dozens of lawmakers.
the peacemaking role, dition request until Petro re- Colombians who are vic- conflict. An immigration His candor, while rocking
Petro said he would seek vokes his offer to Mancuso tims of Mancuso’s crimes,” judge in May rejected that Colombia’s political estab-
to suspend prison sentenc- or there are credible assur- he wrote in a letter sent argument but Mancuso lishment, later backfired. q

Justice Department announces charges against hundreds of

alleged COVID-19 fraudsters

By RICHARD LARDNER aid to pay for a murder. siveness of the fraud.
Associated Press “This latest action, involving “We’ll stay at it for as long
WASHINGTON (AP) — Hun- over 300 defendants and as it takes,” said Deputy At-
dreds of people have been over $830 million in alleged torney General Lisa Mona-
charged with the theft of COVID-19 fraud, should co, who led of a meeting of
more than $830 million in send a clear message: the law enforcement officials
COVID-19 emergency aid COVID-19 public health livestreamed on the Justice
following a nationwide op- emergency may have Department’s website.
eration conducted by fed- ended, but the Justice De- An Associated Press analy-
eral, state and local law partment’s work to identify sis published in June found
enforcement agencies, the and prosecute those who that fraudsters potentially
U.S. Justice Department stole pandemic relief funds stole more than $280 billion Attorney General Merrick Garland accompanied by Deputy
announced Wednesday. is far from over,” Attorney in COVID-19 relief funding; Attorney General Lisa Monaco speaks during a meeting at
More than 60 of the de- General Merrick Garland another $123 billion was Department of Justice in Washington, June 14, 2023.
fendants have alleged said in a statement. wasted or misspent. Associated Press
connections to organized The three-month opera- Most of the money was workers survive the eco- ID-19 aid fraud, according
crime, the department tion, which ended in July, grabbed from three large nomic upheaval caused to the new Justice Depart-
said, including members of resulted in more than 300 pandemic-relief initiatives by the pandemic. Nearly ment figures. About $1.4 bil-
a criminal gang accused people being charged,, designed to help small busi- 3,200 defendants have lion in stolen pandemic aid
of using stolen pandemic underscoring the perva- nesses and unemployed been charged with COV- has been seized. q