BOGOTÁ, Colombia — The arrival of former drug trafficker Fabio Ochoa in Colombia after being deported from the United States has stirred strong emotions among victims of the infamous Medellín Cartel. Many are outraged by the Colombian government’s decision to allow Ochoa to roam free without facing any immediate legal repercussions.
Some victims expressed their hopes on Tuesday that Ochoa would choose to assist ongoing investigations led by human rights organizations that aim to shed light on one of the darkest chapters in Colombia’s past. They have also called for Colombian prosecutors to summon Ochoa for questioning about his past actions during a time when the cartel perpetrated widespread violence against police, politicians, and civilians alike. Historically, the Medellín Cartel is estimated to be responsible for about 10,000 deaths, many attributed to notorious leader Pablo Escobar.
Ochoa was a significant player within the Medellín Cartel and spent several years in Miami overseeing a distribution center for the operation. He has consistently denied his involvement in the cartel’s violent acts. However, skepticism abounds among survivors and relatives of victims who question his claims of innocence.
Carlos Fernando Galán, the mayor of Bogotá, shared his views on social media, expressing his discontent with the lack of charges against Ochoa, referring to the situation as “unacceptable.” His brother, Juan Manuel Galán, whose father was murdered by cartel assassins, emphasized the prevalent impunity surrounding the cartel’s crimes. He stated that, along with countless other victims, they wish to ascertain the truth concerning Ochoa’s involvement in numerous horrendous acts such as kidnappings and murders.
Ochoa was returned to Colombia on Monday after serving over two decades in a U.S. prison for drug trafficking—a conviction that does not connect to his crimes in Colombia. Upon his return, the 67-year-old had his fingerprints recorded by immigration authorities who confirmed he had no outstanding warrants in Colombia, resulting in his immediate release.
When approached by reporters at Bogotá’s airport, Ochoa claimed that he had been unjustly targeted by U.S. law enforcement and insisted that he had already faced consequences for his involvement in cocaine trafficking during the early ’90s, having spent time in a Colombian prison. Although released in 1996, he was re-arrested in 1999 and extradited to the U.S. in 2001 under charges related to a drug smuggling operation involving numerous individuals.
Gonzalo Enrique Rojas, who lost his father in a tragic airplane bombing orchestrated by the Medellín Cartel in 1989, highlighted Ochoa’s return as a chance to gain more insights about such devastating incidents and the cartel’s connections with members of the Colombian government. Rojas, now an advocate for victims of violence in Colombia, has called for investigators to interrogate Ochoa about his role in this event and other cartel-associated crimes.
Rojas emphasized that for victims of the Medellín Cartel, long prison sentences for its leaders don’t equate to justice. He stated that what truly helps alleviate their suffering is the pursuit of truth and justice.
