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2:22
The Colombian army confirmed that Jesús Santrich fled to Venezuela
Seuxis Paucias Hernández, alias Jesús Santrich, would have fled to Venezuela, according to the latest intelligence reports from the Colombian army. He would be protected by a small group of fighters from the National Liberation Army (ELN), who would also be providing shelter to Luciano Marín Arango, alias Iván Márquez, former chief negotiator of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in Havana.
Santrich's last verified whereabouts were in Tierra Grata, a rural area bordering Venezuela in the department of Cesar, where he traveled to meet with the community of his colleagues who live in the ETCR (Territorial Space for Training and Reincorporation) in the area.
According to what was reported by the protection unit of the former guerrilla, last Sunday they found a handwritten letter in which Santrich informed that he would spend the night at his son Daniel's house in Valledupar, the capital of Cesar.
The Colombian government has condemned Santrich's actions, calling it a clear desire to evade justice. Defense Minister Guillermo Botero stated on the morning of Thursday the 4th that Santrich would still be in Colombia, although he acknowledged that he was near the border with Venezuela.
However, an intelligence report that the Army presented to President Duque has been revealed in which Santrich's presence in Venezuela ceases to be a hypothesis and is presented as a reality.
Said report indicates that, at dawn on Sunday, Santrich left the Tierra Grata ETCR in two vans. He would have crossed the border that separates Colombia from Venezuela on foot and was picked up by emissaries of Iván Márquez, who presumably were members of the ELN, and would have met with the former guerrilla commander and with Gentil Duarte, the first high-ranking FARC to desert of the peace process, who commands the dissidents of that guerrilla.
This further complicates the situation for Santrich, who is summoned to appear before the Supreme Court of Justice on July 9, in the process that has been opened for alleged conspiracy to commit a crime for drug trafficking purposes. If he does not appear before the Supreme Court, the former guerrilla could have his arrest warrant activated again.
Along with Santrich, there are five high-ranking FARC commanders who have deserted the peace process, which exacerbates the danger of a possible resumption of military activities by that guerrilla.
