NCJ Number
130756
Journal
North-South Volume: 1 Issue: 1 Dated: (June 1991) Pages: 4-5
Date Published
1991
Length
2 pages
Annotation
This interview with President Cesar Gaviria Trujillo of Colombia focuses on his country's strategy to counter the cocaine cartels and how his country and the United States can cooperate to destroy the cartels.
Abstract
President Trujillo reports on signs of his government's success in combatting the cartels: a 76-percent increase in cocaine seized, the capture or killing of cartel leaders, the seizing of cartel property, and the capture of cartel airplanes and airfields. President Trujillo believes cartel leaders are beginning to see that the government is winning against the cartels, and it is only a matter of time until the cartels are put out of business. Given this climate of governmental success, plea bargaining has been announced to cartel leaders as a means of avoiding extradition to the United States, i.e., voluntary surrender to the government will prevent extradition to the United States. President Trujillo also describes revisions in the criminal justice system. Whereas, the judiciary has in the past been responsible for the investigation and prosecution of criminal offenses, Colombia is in the process of converting to a system similar to that of the United States, where the executive branch is responsible for investigating and prosecuting criminal offenses. Trials of narco-criminals are conducted at military facilities to ensure the protection of judges and the safe conduct of trials. The identities of judges are hidden from criminals as judges use their fingerprints instead of their signatures on all official documents.