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Happy New Year! in Colombia Soon?? Watch your ass!

Things are going to get much worse in Colombia before they get better. Cartagena would be an easy target with many newbie tourists hanging around oblivious of the danger. If you are going, please be extremely low-key and DO NOT bring attention to yourself for heaven's sake!

As a public service announcement, this was taken from the New York Times today-

Colombia Extradites Top Guerrilla Leader
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: January 1, 2005

BOGOTÁ, Colombia, Dec. 31 (AP) - Colombia extradited the most senior guerrilla commander in its custody to the United States on Friday to face drug and terrorism charges, an unprecedented move that followed his group's refusal to free dozens of hostages, including three Americans.

Army commandos and American officials escorted the guerrilla leader, Ricardo Palmera, 54, to a United States government plane near Bogotá. An F.B.I. spokeswoman said he would be taken to Washington.

The handover - Mr. Palmera is the highest-ranking leader of the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia to be sent for trial in a United States court - prompted fears of reprisal attacks. Colombian troops were put on high alert.

President Álvaro Uribe issued an ultimatum to the rebel group this month, giving it until Thursday to free 63 hostages, including three Defense Department contractors, or see the extradition of Mr. Palmera.

Mr. Uribe has used the threat of extradition to pressure insurgent groups, and his decision to transfer Mr. Palmera underscored his willingness to play hardball.

By (Deleted user) on Jan 3, 2005, 22:58 in Friendly Talkzone.

Sam Salmon says on Jan 3, 2005, 23:41:

More Old News Simon Trinidad was rumoured to have been set up by other factions in FARC who were glad to see the back of him-details are vague.
They ratted him out when he was in Ecuador being treated for Malaria that's how he was taken.These same people made sure no deal was made to keep him from being extradited.
The idea that the same people who set him up are now going to ' go to war' for him is laughable and naive.
This info comes from Colombians I correspond with regularly-it could be all chisme of course but their sources have proven reliable in the past.
The fact is though that as FARC becomes weaker and split into different factions struggling to control their drug businesses there will be more nasty violence.
The recent slaughter of those peasants at a New Year's party is just one facet of the conflict.

' a la orden!'

' a la orden!'

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Miguel says on Jan 3, 2005, 23:54:

Your PSA I bet about 90% of those on this board already knew of this story, but I suppose it is helpful for the other 10%. Also the vast majority here are already in "Ass Watching" mode when traveling in Colombia. Several journalists in Colombia have recently conjectured that, as it gets closer to the 2006 presidential election, indeed the guerrilla activity could intensify. This "Simon Trinidad" is a pretty big fish, and not all Colombians are so sure it was necessarily a good move to turn him over to the US.

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kernow62 says on Jan 4, 2005, 09:28:

Can you elaborate please for those of us who didn't see the program?

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Miguel says on Jan 4, 2005, 10:39:

Si Tinto I want to see him wearing those nice suits, shirts and ties, and then those guayaberas with whatever local hat is appropriate. Sorry Desi. Y tambien, Tinto, tienes razon; a veces Chavez ponerse ropa como John Travolta en los '80's. Sorry if I screwed up the grammatical tenses.

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