El Aro massacre
Encyclopedia
El Aro massacre was a massacre in Colombia
which occurred on October 22, 1997 in the municipality of Ituango
, Department of Antioquia. 15 individuals accused of being leftist supporters of the FARC were massacred by paramilitary groups
with support from members of the Colombian army
. Perpetrators also violated women, burned down 43 houses, stole cattle and forcibly displaced 900 people.
In 2007, the Third Section of the Council of State ordered the Colombian state to pay damages to the victims' families.
publicly announced that a former paramilitary fighter, Francisco Enrique Villalba Hernández, had accused him of planning the massacre, along with General Ospina, General Rosso
and paramilitary leader Salvatore Mancuso
, among other individuals. Uribe had been Governor of Antioquia between 1995 and 1997. According to Uribe, Villalba had said that he (Uribe) had thanked the perpetrators of the massacre for freeing 6 hostages, allegedly including one of his cousins, that Uribe's brother had provided 20 paramilitary members for the crime, and that they had met in the town of La Cuacana to plan the massacre.
Uribe answered that he had never been to La Caucana and that these declarations showed inconsistencies because they mentioned the participation of a General in the supposed meeting who had died months prior to the events. Uribe also said that since 1988, Colombian authorities would know "where I've been, where I have slept and with whom I have met". The Colombian newsweekly Revista Semana
reported that the paramilitary in question, Francisco Enrique Villalba Hernández, had not mentioned Uribe nor the rescue of any hostages during previous declarations made more than five years ago, when he was sentenced for his own role in the massacre. The magazine also listed a number of possible inconsistencies in his most recent testimony, including the alleged presence of General Manosalva, who had died months before the date of the meeting where the massacre was planned.
Opposition Senator Gustavo Petro
had questioned Uribe about the use of a Department of Antioquia government owned helicopter that was allegedly employed to transport the paramilitaries to the region of El Aro to perpetrate the massacre. During a press conference, Uribe denied these claims saying that all the helicopters had a recorded flight history. He was also questioned a beeper
message intercepted to one of the paramilitaries involved in the massacre that said "Te recuerdo llamar al Gobernador. Preséntame y que yo lo visito en la tarde" (I remind you to call the governor. Introduce me and I will visit him in the afternoon). Uribe defended himself from these claims saying that the criminals could have used the term "governor" as slang to refer to anything and denied having met any of the perpetrators of the massacre.
Imprisoned paramilitary leader Salvatore Mancuso said that the victims of the massacre had died in combat and were not civilians but guerrillas. Mancuso was sentenced to serve 40 years in prison for the massacre.
After his extradition to the United States, Mancuso has continued to testify via satellite as part of the Justice and Peace process. On November 18, 2008, Revista Semana
reported on Mancuso's declarations about the 1997 El Aro massacre, in which he stated that the AUC had received logistical help from the Colombian military and police. Mancuso said that three helicopters, one belonging to the guerrillas, another from the Colombian military and one from the Antioquia governor's office were present in the zone during the events.
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
which occurred on October 22, 1997 in the municipality of Ituango
Ituango
Ituango is a town and municipality in the Colombian department of Antioquia. Part of the subregion of Northern Antioquia....
, Department of Antioquia. 15 individuals accused of being leftist supporters of the FARC were massacred by paramilitary groups
Paramilitarism in Colombia
Paramilitarism in Colombia refers to the origins and activities of far right-wing paramilitary groups in Colombia during the 20th century.Right-wing paramilitary groups are the parties considered to be most responsible for human rights violations in Colombia during the later half of the current...
with support from members of the Colombian army
Colombian Army
The National Army of Colombia is the land military force of the government of Colombia and the largest service of the Colombian Armed Forces...
. Perpetrators also violated women, burned down 43 houses, stole cattle and forcibly displaced 900 people.
In 2007, the Third Section of the Council of State ordered the Colombian state to pay damages to the victims' families.
Controversy
On April 23, 2008, Colombian President, Álvaro UribeÁlvaro Uribe
Alvaro Uribe Vélez was the 58th President of Colombia, from 2002 to 2010. In August 2010 he was appointed Vice-chairman of the UN panel investigating the Gaza flotilla raid....
publicly announced that a former paramilitary fighter, Francisco Enrique Villalba Hernández, had accused him of planning the massacre, along with General Ospina, General Rosso
Rosso José Serrano
Rosso josé Serrano Cadena was born on August 30, 1942 in Vélez, Colombia. Head Chief General of the Colombian National Police from 1994 to 2000 during Ernesto Samper's presidency and was one of the masterminds behind the dismantling of the Cali Cartel and Medellín Cartel...
and paramilitary leader Salvatore Mancuso
Salvatore Mancuso
Salvatore Mancuso Gómez, also known as "el Mono Mancuso","Santander Lozada" or "Triple Cero", among other names is a Colombian paramilitary leader, once second in command of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia paramilitary group...
, among other individuals. Uribe had been Governor of Antioquia between 1995 and 1997. According to Uribe, Villalba had said that he (Uribe) had thanked the perpetrators of the massacre for freeing 6 hostages, allegedly including one of his cousins, that Uribe's brother had provided 20 paramilitary members for the crime, and that they had met in the town of La Cuacana to plan the massacre.
Uribe answered that he had never been to La Caucana and that these declarations showed inconsistencies because they mentioned the participation of a General in the supposed meeting who had died months prior to the events. Uribe also said that since 1988, Colombian authorities would know "where I've been, where I have slept and with whom I have met". The Colombian newsweekly Revista Semana
Revista Semana
Semana or Revista Semana is a Colombian-based weekly magazine. It was founded in 1946 by Alberto Lleras Camargo , but was shut down after a controversial cover depicting Cuban leader Fidel Castro.In 1983, journalist Felipe López Caballero re-founded the magazine...
reported that the paramilitary in question, Francisco Enrique Villalba Hernández, had not mentioned Uribe nor the rescue of any hostages during previous declarations made more than five years ago, when he was sentenced for his own role in the massacre. The magazine also listed a number of possible inconsistencies in his most recent testimony, including the alleged presence of General Manosalva, who had died months before the date of the meeting where the massacre was planned.
Opposition Senator Gustavo Petro
Gustavo Petro
Gustavo Francisco Petro Urrego is a Colombian politician of the Political Independent movement Progresistas . As a young man he fought with the 19th of April Movement, which later evolved into the Alianza Democrática M-19. He then became active in newly-established Alianza Democrática M-19...
had questioned Uribe about the use of a Department of Antioquia government owned helicopter that was allegedly employed to transport the paramilitaries to the region of El Aro to perpetrate the massacre. During a press conference, Uribe denied these claims saying that all the helicopters had a recorded flight history. He was also questioned a beeper
Pager
A pager is a simple personal telecommunications device for short messages. A one-way numeric pager can only receive a message consisting of a few digits, typically a phone number that the user is then requested to call...
message intercepted to one of the paramilitaries involved in the massacre that said "Te recuerdo llamar al Gobernador. Preséntame y que yo lo visito en la tarde" (I remind you to call the governor. Introduce me and I will visit him in the afternoon). Uribe defended himself from these claims saying that the criminals could have used the term "governor" as slang to refer to anything and denied having met any of the perpetrators of the massacre.
Imprisoned paramilitary leader Salvatore Mancuso said that the victims of the massacre had died in combat and were not civilians but guerrillas. Mancuso was sentenced to serve 40 years in prison for the massacre.
After his extradition to the United States, Mancuso has continued to testify via satellite as part of the Justice and Peace process. On November 18, 2008, Revista Semana
Revista Semana
Semana or Revista Semana is a Colombian-based weekly magazine. It was founded in 1946 by Alberto Lleras Camargo , but was shut down after a controversial cover depicting Cuban leader Fidel Castro.In 1983, journalist Felipe López Caballero re-founded the magazine...
reported on Mancuso's declarations about the 1997 El Aro massacre, in which he stated that the AUC had received logistical help from the Colombian military and police. Mancuso said that three helicopters, one belonging to the guerrillas, another from the Colombian military and one from the Antioquia governor's office were present in the zone during the events.