Gerardo Aguilar Ramírez
Encyclopedia
Gerardo Aguilar Ramírez, known by his nom de guerre César, was a Colombia
n guerrilla leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
(FARC). He was the commander of the Eastern Bloc's 1st Front. For five years he was in charge of FARC's hostages, including former presidential candidate Íngrid Betancourt
. On July 2, 2008, the hostages were rescued in Operation Jaque
and César was arrested.
On July 4, 2008, Radio Suisse Romande
reported that unnamed "reliable sources" had told it the rescue took place after a payment of USD 20 million by the United States. According to Le Monde
, the French Foreign Ministry denied the payment of any ransom by France.
Frederich Blassel, the author of the Radio Suisse Romande story, told Colombia's W Radio
that, according to his source, the release was not negotiated directly with FARC but with César, one of the two guerrillas captured during the operation, who would have received the payment of USD 20 million. According to Blassel, the two rebels could be given new identities by Spain, France, and Switzerland.
According to Colombia's El Tiempo and W Radio
, General Fredy Padilla de León, Commander of the Colombian Armed Forces, denied the existence of any payment by the Colombian government. General Padilla argued that if any payment had been made, it would have been better to make it publicly known, to use it as an incentive and to cause confusion within FARC's ranks. William Brownfield
, the U.S. ambassador to Colombia, also denied the allegations.
Ramirez was captured in July 2008 when members of the Colombian military, disguised as FARC rebels, freed former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, three US hostages and twelve others.
The Colombian Supreme Court extradited Ramirez to the U.S. in July 2009 on narcotics conspiracy charges. On December 16, 2009, Ramirez pleaded guilty in a Washington, D.C. federal court to conspiring to import large quantities of cocaine into the U.S. As the commander of FARC’s 1st front from 1998 to July 2008, Ramirez said he directed his subordinates to manufacture and distribute thousands of tons of cocaine which was later imported to the U.S.
On July 22, 2010, Ramirez was sentenced to 27 years in prison. He is being held in a federal prison in Illinois
.
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...
n guerrilla leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People's Army is a Marxist–Leninist revolutionary guerrilla organization based in Colombia which is involved in the ongoing Colombian armed conflict, currently involved in drug dealing and crimes against the civilians..FARC-EP is a peasant army which...
(FARC). He was the commander of the Eastern Bloc's 1st Front. For five years he was in charge of FARC's hostages, including former presidential candidate Íngrid Betancourt
Íngrid Betancourt
Ingrid Betancourt Pulecio is a Colombian politician, former senator and anti-corruption activist.Betancourt was kidnapped by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia on 23 February 2002 and was rescued by Colombian security forces six and a half years later on 2 July 2008...
. On July 2, 2008, the hostages were rescued in Operation Jaque
Operation Jaque
Operation Jaque was a Colombian military operation that resulted in the freedom of 15 hostages, including former Colombian presidential candidate Íngrid Betancourt. The hostages had been held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia . The operation took place on July 2, 2008, along the...
and César was arrested.
On July 4, 2008, Radio Suisse Romande
Radio Suisse Romande
Radio suisse romande is an enterprise unit within public-broadcasting corporation SRG SSR. It is responsible for the production and transmission of French-language radio programmes in Switzerland...
reported that unnamed "reliable sources" had told it the rescue took place after a payment of USD 20 million by the United States. According to Le Monde
Le Monde
Le Monde is a French daily evening newspaper owned by La Vie-Le Monde Group and edited in Paris. It is one of two French newspapers of record, and has generally been well respected since its first edition under founder Hubert Beuve-Méry on 19 December 1944...
, the French Foreign Ministry denied the payment of any ransom by France.
Frederich Blassel, the author of the Radio Suisse Romande story, told Colombia's W Radio
La W
La W is a Colombian influential morning radio show, broadcast since 2003 on weekdays on W Radio and syndicated to stations in Panama, United States, and Spain. It is presented by Julio Sánchez Cristo....
that, according to his source, the release was not negotiated directly with FARC but with César, one of the two guerrillas captured during the operation, who would have received the payment of USD 20 million. According to Blassel, the two rebels could be given new identities by Spain, France, and Switzerland.
According to Colombia's El Tiempo and W Radio
La W
La W is a Colombian influential morning radio show, broadcast since 2003 on weekdays on W Radio and syndicated to stations in Panama, United States, and Spain. It is presented by Julio Sánchez Cristo....
, General Fredy Padilla de León, Commander of the Colombian Armed Forces, denied the existence of any payment by the Colombian government. General Padilla argued that if any payment had been made, it would have been better to make it publicly known, to use it as an incentive and to cause confusion within FARC's ranks. William Brownfield
William Brownfield
William R. Brownfield is the current Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs as of January 10, 2011. . He has previously served as U.S. Ambassador to Chile, Venezuela, and Colombia....
, the U.S. ambassador to Colombia, also denied the allegations.
Ramirez was captured in July 2008 when members of the Colombian military, disguised as FARC rebels, freed former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, three US hostages and twelve others.
The Colombian Supreme Court extradited Ramirez to the U.S. in July 2009 on narcotics conspiracy charges. On December 16, 2009, Ramirez pleaded guilty in a Washington, D.C. federal court to conspiring to import large quantities of cocaine into the U.S. As the commander of FARC’s 1st front from 1998 to July 2008, Ramirez said he directed his subordinates to manufacture and distribute thousands of tons of cocaine which was later imported to the U.S.
On July 22, 2010, Ramirez was sentenced to 27 years in prison. He is being held in a federal prison in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
.