Progress continues in clarifying the assassination of presidential candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay and in capturing those responsible. In recent hours, another of the suspects in the crime carried out by a minor on June 7 of last year in Bogota was detained in Buenos Aires, Argentina, although the Centro Democratico candidate, 39 years old, would die on August 11 after remaining hospitalized for more than two months.
Justice, in this case, has acted with diligence, to the point that, in addition to having already captured eight people for the assassination, it also established that the order to execute him came from the Farc dissident group Segunda Marquetalia, which operates in Colombia but has its strategic rearguard in Venezuela. Authorities specifically pointed to alias “el Zarco Aldinever” (whom that group considers dead) as a direct responsible party, although the participation of the dissidents of alias “Ivan Mordisco” is not ruled out.
The detainee has an “extensive criminal record”
The man detained in the Argentine capital was identified as Brayan Ferney Cruz Castillo, who was captured by Interpol due to an international arrest warrant. In addition to being identified as one of the logistical operators of the assassination of Uribe Turbay, he has, according to the Argentine Ministry of Security, “an extensive criminal record summarized in conspiracy to commit aggravated crimes, terrorism, trafficking, manufacturing and possession of firearms.”
The same agency states that Cruz Castillo “installed an explosive device with a magnetic base on a vehicle,” referring to the failed attack against Elkin de Jesus Gutierrez Henao, a peace signatory, which also occurred in Bogota a week before the attack on Uribe Turbay. Now Cruz Castillo, who had been a fugitive, is at the disposal of the federal justice of Argentina, awaiting a possible extradition process to Colombia.
The investigation in Argentina was carried out by the Prosecutor’s Unit of the province of Corrientes, in the east of the country, which had been working since last March based on official information sent by Colombian authorities through the National Gendarmerie. But his capture was relatively easy: Cruz Castillo had an active expulsion order because he had been detained in Buenos Aires in a robbery case, although he was later released.
He had already been detained for robbery in Buenos Aires
However, he was summoned this Tuesday to the courts of Buenos Aires because he had accepted an abbreviated trial in the robbery case. He attended on time and at that point was detained again, this time accused of having participated in the assassination of Uribe Turbay. The National Directorate of Migration had already communicated that the detainee had an ongoing procedure and confirmed that he was in an irregular situation in Argentina.
Media reports in Colombia have indicated that Cruz Castillo appears in investigations by authorities with several roles in the organization of the assassination of Uribe Turbay, following orders from Simeon Perez Marroquin, alias “El Viejo,” who had contact with Segunda Marquetalia.
The man now captured in Argentina allegedly carried out surveillance on Uribe Turbay to identify his routines and determine how his security scheme was structured and operated. He was also the partner of Katherine Andrea Martinez, alias “Gabriela,” who handed the weapon to the minor so that he would carry out the assassination of Uribe Turbay.
For this crime that shook Colombia and still stands as a shadow threatening the ongoing presidential campaign, Martinez has already been sentenced to 21 years in prison; Carlos Mora, alias “El Veneco,” who transported Martinez to the site of the attack; and the teenage hitman, who was wounded while trying to escape after shooting the right-wing politician. In addition, there are other detainees who are being charged and tried.