Venezuelan dictatorship using fugitive in attempt to gain Colombian political recognition

The government of Colombian President Ivan Duque has once again come under fire for allegedly neglecting to ask the Venezuelan government for the extradition of a fugitive former senator who illegally crossed the border in October 2020.

According to Jose Dominguez, head of Venezuela’s FAES Special Action Force, Aida Merlano -- a former Colombian senator who was imprisoned for allegedly buying votes while on the campaign trail -- was detained by security forces in the Venezuelan city of Maracaibo four months after she eluded Colombian authorities by climbing out of her dentist’s office in Bogota, Reuters reported.

But Duque has reiterated that his administration has indeed requested her extradition through the appropriate political channels – namely, Venezuela’s National Assembly, the opposition governing body which Colombia, along with the United States and several other democratic nations, officially recognize.

“We requested her extradition through the National Assembly. The Assembly then forwarded our request to the judicial authorities, but they have been unwilling to return her (to Colombia) in order to continue using her as a bargaining chip for Colombia to recognize Maduro,” the president said during an interview with Caracol Radio.

Duque further explained that his administration has had issues in the past when dealing with the Venezuelan legal system and noted that his government has often kept Venezuelan criminals in custody in Colombia “because there is no rule of law” under Maduro’s regime.

Diplomatically speaking, the Colombian leader stated that there is no other legal recourse that can be taken and that the matter is now out of his hands. He did, however, invite the former congresswoman to turn herself – promising her legal rights would be protected.

“Let her say what she has to say. If she must come and tell the truth, let her do it. But she must turn herself in, because she eluded the nation’s Supreme Court,” Duque added in the interview.

Currently there is no indication that Duque’s administration will turn to the Maduro regime in order to expedite the standing extradition request as doing so would recognize Maduro as Venezuela’s rightful leader instead of opposition leader Juan Guaidó.

Previously, the Colombian leader praised Guaidó’s fight against the dictatorship in his country, saying, “Guaidó is a hero, a defender of democracy, of his people. He has had the courage to face a dictatorship that has persecuted all opponents.”