Media swarm Fabio Ochoa, center, a former member of Cartel of Medellin, upon his arrival at El Dorado airport, after being deported from the United States, in Bogota, Colombia, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024.
This photo released by the Colombian Immigration press office shows Colombian Fabio Ochoa, a former member of Cartel of Medellin, deplaning at the El Dorado International Airport in Bogota, Colombia, after being deported from the U.S. where he served time for drug trafficking, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024.
Fabio Ochoa, center, a former member of Cartel of Medellin, is welcomed by relatives upon arriving at El Dorado airport after being deported from the United States, in Bogota, Colombia, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024.
Fabio Ochoa, center, a former member of Cartel of Medellin, arrives at El Dorado airport after being deported from the U.S., in Bogota, Colombia, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024.
Fabio Ochoa, center, a former member of Cartel of Medellin, kisses a relative's hand upon his arrival at El Dorado airport, after being deported from the United States, in Bogota, Colombia, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024.
Fabio Ochoa, a former member of Cartel of Medellin, speaks to the media upon his arrival at El Dorado airport, after being deported from the United States, in Bogota, Colombia, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024.
Medellin Cartel victims demand truth and justice as cartel boss Fabio Ochoa walks free in Colombia
The return of the notorious drug trafficker Fabio Ochoa to Colombia, following his deportation from the United States, has reopened old wounds among the victims of the Medellin cartel, with some expressing their dismay at the decision of Colombian authorities to let the former mafia boss walk free
By MANUEL RUEDA and ASTRID SU脕REZ - Associated Press
Media swarm Fabio Ochoa, center, a former member of Cartel of Medellin, upon his arrival at El Dorado airport, after being deported from the United States, in Bogota, Colombia, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024.
Fernando Vergara - staff, ASSOCIATED PRESS
This photo released by the Colombian Immigration press office shows Colombian Fabio Ochoa, a former member of Cartel of Medellin, deplaning at the El Dorado International Airport in Bogota, Colombia, after being deported from the U.S. where he served time for drug trafficking, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024.
Uncredited - hogp, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Fabio Ochoa, center, a former member of Cartel of Medellin, is welcomed by relatives upon arriving at El Dorado airport after being deported from the United States, in Bogota, Colombia, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024.
Fernando Vergara - staff, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Fabio Ochoa, center, a former member of Cartel of Medellin, arrives at El Dorado airport after being deported from the U.S., in Bogota, Colombia, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024.
Fernando Vergara - staff, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Fabio Ochoa, center, a former member of Cartel of Medellin, kisses a relative's hand upon his arrival at El Dorado airport, after being deported from the United States, in Bogota, Colombia, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024.
Fernando Vergara - staff, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Fabio Ochoa, a former member of Cartel of Medellin, speaks to the media upon his arrival at El Dorado airport, after being deported from the United States, in Bogota, Colombia, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024.
BOGOT脕, Colombia (AP) 69制片厂制作传媒 The return of former drug trafficker Fabio Ochoa to Colombia has reopened old wounds among victims of the Medell铆n Cartel, with some expressing dismay at the Colombian authorities' decision to let Ochoa walk free.
Some of the cartel victims said Tuesday they are hoping the former drug lord will at least cooperate with ongoing efforts by human rights groups to investigate one of the most violent periods of Colombia69制片厂制作传媒檚 history and demanded that Colombian prosecutors also take Ochoa in for questioning.
In the late 80s and early 90s killed police officers, politicians, judges, journalists and bystanders as it waged war on the Colombian state, which had stepped up its efforts to interdict drug shipments, arrest drug traffickers and seize their properties. Some historians in Colombia attribute 10,000 killings to .
Ochoa was one of the cartel's key operators at the time and lived for several years in Miami where he ran a distribution center for the cocaine cartel. He has denied being involved in the cartel killings. But many victims of the cartel and their relatives are highly skeptical of that claim.
Bogot谩 Mayor Carlos Fernando Gal谩n was 12 when his father, presidential candidate Luis Carlos Gal谩n was killed by cartel hitmen in 1989.
On Monday night Gal谩n wrote in a message on X that it was 69制片厂制作传媒渦nacceptable69制片厂制作传媒 for Ochoa not to be facing any charges in Colombia.
Gal谩n69制片厂制作传媒檚 older brother, Juan Manuel Gal谩n, went further.
69制片厂制作传媒淭he majority of the (Medell铆n Cartel69制片厂制作传媒檚) crimes are in impunity69制片厂制作传媒 he wrote on X. 69制片厂制作传媒淎long with thousands of victims we hope to know the truth about Ochoa69制片厂制作传媒檚 responsibility and that of his allies in kidnappings, murders and indiscriminate acts of terrorism.69制片厂制作传媒
Ochoa was deported to Colombia on Monday in the U.S. for a drug trafficking conviction, which was not related to any killings in Colombia.
The 67-year-old had his fingerprints taken at the airport and was let go by immigration officials who ran his name through a database and confirmed he is not wanted by Colombian authorities.
Speaking to journalists, who frantically swarmed around him in Bogot谩69制片厂制作传媒檚 airport, Ochoa claimed he had been 69制片厂制作传媒渇ramed69制片厂制作传媒 by U.S. prosecutors. He added that he had paid for his drug trafficking crimes in Colombia in the early 1990s, when he spent several years in a Colombian prison.
Ochoa was released in 1996 but was once again arrested in 1999 and was extradited to the U.S. in 2001 in response to an indictment in Miami naming him and more than 40 others as part of a drug smuggling conspiracy.
Gonzalo Enrique Rojas was a young boy in 1989 when his father died on a commercial plane that was blown up by the Medell铆n Cartel, killing all 107 people on board.
Rojas, who now leads a foundation for victims of Colombia69制片厂制作传媒檚 conflict said that Ochoa69制片厂制作传媒檚 return to Colombia presents an opportunity for more details to be known about that incident, such as what motivated the cartel to attack a plane full of civilians, and what were its relations with members of the Colombian government.
He said that Colombian prosecutors should interrogate Ochoa about this event and other crimes committed by the cartel. He added that his foundation, Colombia with Memory, will also try to seek a meeting with the former cartel boss.
69制片厂制作传媒淭he years in prison (for cartel leaders) are not that relevant for those of us who are victims of the Medell铆n cartel,69制片厂制作传媒 Rojas said. 69制片厂制作传媒淲hat really repairs the pain is justice and truth.69制片厂制作传媒
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