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LATIN AMERICA
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Tuesday 22 February 2011 |
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Wikileaks
Questions
Veracity
of
Colombian
Army
Operation
Bogota -
Revelations
released
by
Wikileaks
question
the
truthfulness
of
Operation
Jaque
(Check),
presented
by the
Colombian
Government
as a
perfect
military
maneuver
in 2008
that led
to the
rescue
of 15
people
held by
the
guerrillas.
Wikileaks
made
public
that on
June 24,
2008,
the US
Embassy
in
Bogota
issued a
diplomatic
cable
about an
alleged
attempt
of
agreement
between
the
government
and
Antonio
Aguilar,
alias
Cesar,
then
commander
of the
first
front of
the
Revolutionary
Armed
Forces
of
Colombia
(FARC).
According
to the
information
released,
the
purpose
of the
agreement
would be
the
release
of
presidential
candidate,
French
Colombian
Ingrid
Betancourt.
Many
people
sustain
that,
according
to the
cable,
the
operationâ�Ös
success
(15
people
were
rescued,
including
Betancourt,
three US
people
and 11
uniformed
ones)
was the
result
of
direct
negotiations
with
Cesar
rather
than of
an
intrepid
Army
action.
In this
regard,
editor
of Voz
weekly
Carlos
Lozano,
who is a
member
of
Colombians
for
Peace,
said
that the
cable
shows
that
there
were
lies
surrounding
Operation
Jaque,
which
was not
so
perfect
as the
Government
presented
it, but
rather
the
result
of an
agreement
with the
guerrillas
who were
holding
the
prisoners.
It is
also
surprising
that the
said
diplomatic
note was
issued a
week
before
Operation
Jaque.
The
cable
protects
its
source
and says
that
Cesar,
currently
serving
prison
in the
United
States,
was
allegedly
seeking
protection
for
himself
and his
family
by then
President
Alvaro
Uribe
and
Defense
Minister
Juan
Manuel
Santos,
who is
currently
the
countryâ�Ös
president,
in
exchange
for
Betancourtâ�Ös
release.
Many
versions
and
press
reports
published
in the
wake of
the
operation
seem to
have
been
right in
questioning
its
success,
given
the
contradictions
and
incongruities
surrounding
the
event,
which
can be
verified
in video
footage
of the
much-trumpeted
maneuver. |
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