The dissemination of an assumptionrevolutionary trial” of the eln against four kidnapped officials In Arauca he once again put the use of kidnapping by the guerrilla and the Government’s response to this type of actions. The statement of the armed group known this Tuesday, May 5, generated an immediate reaction from the Minister of Defense, Pedro Sánchezwho rejection that this armed group intends to assume judicial functions while keeping members of the Police and the Prosecutor’s Office detained.
According to the ELN Eastern War Frontthe organization would have advanced a “damning revolutionary trial” against two researchers from Dijín and two officials from the Technical Research Corps (CTI), kidnapped between May and July 2025 in the department of Arauca.
The retained were identified as Franki Hoyos Murcia and Yordin Fabián Pérez Mendozamembers of the Criminal Investigation Directorate of the National Policeas well as Jesús Antonio Pacheco Oviedo and Rodrigo Antonio López Estradaassigned to CTI of the Attorney General’s Office.
Uniformed men kidnapped by the ELN call on the government for their release. Photo:Screenshot.
In a videothe armed group assures that at two CTI officials imposed a 60 month sentence of “revolutionary prison“, although he points out that they would have a supposed reduction in sentence. In the case of the policethe sentences announced would be 36 and 32 months in prisonunder what the ELN called “regret guarantees”.
After knowing the statement, the defense minister questioned the legitimacy of the armed group to issue these types of decisions and assured that the kidnapping continues to be one of the main crimes committed by that organization.
“There is no noble or vile cause that justifies a kidnapping.. At families of our two police officers and two CTI officials that are kidnapped by the Eln cartel We tell them that they are not alone. There is all the Colombian state with you,” said Sánchez.
The region remains under constant control of the Gulf Clan, with indications of the presence of the ELN. Photo:Weather Archive
The head of the Defense portfolio also maintained that the Eln “is neither a judicial authority nor an organ of the State” and described it as “a threat against Colombians“In his statement, he insisted that the kidnapping has penalties of up to 40 years of prison within the Colombian legislation and asked for the immediate release of all the people held by that guerrilla.
In addition to the statement directed at the Eln, Sánchez raised a call to different sectors to press release of the kidnapped. “We also ask the international communityto the human rights organizationsto the Catholic churchto the entire world, to join in this purpose to bring all Colombians who are kidnapped within their homes,” he said.
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