Congress delaying investigations against officials: Minister

[Judi Lynn]

Congress delaying investigations against officials: Minister
Monday, 11 July 2011 07:41
Stephen Manker

Colombia's Congress is delaying 1,100 cases against high-ranking government officials, said the minister of interior and justice on Monday.

German Vargas Lleras proposed that the congressional Accusations Commission be streamlined into a smaller committee in order to expedite court prosecutions of officials and members of congress.

"I'm looking to eliminate the Accusations Commission. The House appoints outside people as permanent judges in the courts. There are more than 1,100 pending cases," the minister said.

The most prominent case currently before the Accusations Commission is that of former President Alvaro Uribe, who is suspected of ordering the illegal wiretapping of Supreme Court magistrates and opponents of his government. This investigation started in October, but has only led to one hearing because a number of congressmen withdrew from the investigation. The investigation is suspended until the next parliamentary year, which starts July 20.

http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/17526-congress-delaying-investigations-against-officials-minister.html

[Peace Patriot]

1. "...a number of congressmen withdrew from the investigation...". Too dangerous to investigate Uribe?

I believe I read something to that effect. Sounds like Bush, Cheney & Rumsfeld, & brethren, here. And I think the immunity that our war criminals and master thieves (not to mention egregious traitors) were obviously given (in exchange for what, we don't know--can only guess) is related to Uribe being "untouchable" as well. I tend to think that Uribe is not quite in their category of "made men," but is sufficiently so to be given special U.S. protection, including U.S. action to remove witnesses against Uribe out of Colombia--and out of the reach of Colombian prosecutors--and to bully a judge in the U.S. in the Drummond Coal death squad case, with a "national security" concerns letter urging the judge not to require Uribe to testify in that case--possibly because of what he knows about Bush Junta crimes in Colombia. I imagine that Uribe has his own methods of dealing with the threat of investigation of his crimes, prosecution and jail--likely his illegal domestic spying was one of them (--spying on judges and prosecutors, among others)--but he also has had U.S. help in avoiding prosecution and "laundering" his image.