The criminal Álex Fernández Harding assured the Investigative Unit of EL TIEMPO that his law office will assume the defense of Fredy Castillo Carrillo, alias Pinocchio, leader of the so-called Conquering Self-Defense Forces of the Sierra Nevada (ACSN), and his recently captured partner Johana Murgas Guzmán, ‘la Mona’.
In an interview with this newspaper, Fernández Harding also said that they are ready to negotiate both with the United States justice -where ‘Pinocchio’ is required- as with the government of Abelardo De La Espriella, once the guidelines of the so-called new rules of submission of members of criminal organizations are announced.
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‘Doll’ and the US
Evelio Castillo, alias ‘Muñeca’ Photo:Courtesy
“Mr. Castillo Carrillo has granted power to the office to speak out, through a document,” the lawyer pointed out. And he recalled that they already represent Carmen Evelio Castillo Carrillo, alias Muñeca, whose extradition had been stopped by the Petro government.
Both brothers are requested by the United States court for drug trafficking: “The United States is the priority at this moment.”
The announcement comes after the operations ordered by the president Abelardo De La Espriella in La Guajira and Magdalena, which allowed the neutralization of ‘Bendito Menor’ and alias ‘el Cholo’, second and third in command of that criminal structure that tried to paralyze Santa Marta with a 48-hour armed strike.
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Submission?
Alias Pinocchio and his romantic companion. Photo:Courtesy
In fact, the lawyer He admitted that, following the capture of his partner, his client is going to announce the decision to negotiate with the United States authorities..
The criminal lawyer confirmed that, as revealed by the Investigative Unit of EL TIEMPO, Johana Murgas has an open process in Colombia for money laundering: “For that case he was free. They opened an investigation for assets he had in Spain. He is on trial“.
“And regarding the case of ‘Pinocchio’ he reiterated that sThere is going to be a negotiation period. “But it does not depend on the will of the Executive. The Constitution must be complied with. It is not about more bags, more operations or more bodies but rather a structural problem in the region“he explained.
And he pointed out that the guidelines of the policies that this Government is going to outline, They are not going to solve the legal problems of ‘Pinocchio’ in the United States.
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Government of Abelardo De La Espriella responds to ‘Pinocchio’ Photo:Presidency / Private archive
When asked if they were going to advance a submission in Colombia beforehand, he stated that it is not an issue of semantics or grammatical: “Whoever signs a pre-agreement is negotiating terms. It is about complying with the Constitution and the law. We are ready to be part of the procedure that is established. We are not afraid of the word submission or negotiation, as established in articles 22 of the Constitution.”
Finally, He said that ‘Pinocchio’ is wanted by a court in Austin (Texas) and his brother has an indictment in that same court and in another in Virginia.
INVESTIGATIVE UNIT
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