The purpose of the meeting was to establish joint strategies to support joint work with the Special Jurisdiction for Peace ‘Jurisdicción Especial para la Paz JEP’ and to fight against transnational crime, smuggling of migrants, and other forms of violence.

The Attorney General, Francisco Barbosa Delgado, during his visit to Washington D.C. (United States) held a meeting with representatives of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), the Organization of American States (OAS), and Human Rights Watch. The dialogue focused on identifying tools to combat problems that Colombia is facing due to criminality and strengthening ties of investigative and judicial cooperation.

Meeting with the Organization of American States (OAS)

In a meeting with the Secretary-General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Leonardo Almagro Lemes, the Attorney General shared details of the work carried out by the institution in the Darien region, border with Panama, regarding the crisis that Colombia is facing due to smuggling of migrants.

In that regard, he stated that 15,000 foreigners arrive in that part of the country every week. In order to find a solution, he will hold a meeting with nine prosecutors from Central and South America next week to design joint alternatives to affect the criminal networks that would be linked to this scourge.

On the other hand, the Attorney General Barbosa Delgado highlighted the joint work carried out with JEP, specifically, regarding the accusation that will be carried out against the retired General Mario Montoya for his alleged participation in extrajudicial killings. At the end of the meeting, he reaffirmed the importance of having an ally such as the Organization of American States (OAS) to tackle the illicit phenomena that affect the region.

Second report before the IACHR about investigations into violent demonstrations 

In a second meeting, the Attorney General spoke with the president of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), Antonia Urrejola Noguera; the executive secretary, Tania Reneaum; and the deputy executive secretary for the request system –Sistema de Peticiones y Casos,  Marisol Blanchard, about the investigative advances within the framework of social mobilizations in Colombia.

The Attorney General shared a second report about the results and emphasized that the guidelines and recommendations delivered by the international organization were accomplished. This has been possible thanks to the implementation of a strategy with 11 specific guidelines and the creation of specialized groups of prosecutors and experts who investigate 29 deaths, that would be linked to protests, of the 57 deaths known since April 28 of the current year.

Moreover, he presented his arguments to reject the national amnesty proposal. He indicated that the Office of the Attorney General should be a bastion of the defense of human rights in Colombia and cannot approve a proposal that goes against this purpose.

Presentation before Human Rights Watch about progress made in the clarification of crimes against social leaders

The last meeting in Washington D.C. (United States) was held by the Attorney General and director of the Americas Division of Human Rights Watch, José Miguel Vivanco. There, the Attorney General referred to the investigations and clarifications of crimes against social leaders and human rights defenders in Colombia.

Finally, he reiterated to the representative of the international organization that there are no conflicts of jurisdiction with the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) and that a harmonious relationship has been built to avoid impunity.