Colombia’s most wanted warlord known as ‘Otoniel’ will face justice in a US court
Colombian drug trafficker assassin and warlord Dairo Antonio Úsuga, also known as ‘Otoniel’, was extradited to the United States on Wednesday to serve his sentence for drug trafficking, despite the objections of his victims.
“I want to report that Dairo Antonio Usuga alias ‘Otoniel’ was extradited; the most dangerous drug trafficker in the world, murderer of social leaders and police officers, abuser of children and adolescents. Today legality, the rule of law, the Public Force and justice triumph,” Colombian President Ivan Duque confirmed and Twitter.
However, the relatives of Otoniel’s victims disagree with the president. Prior to extradition, they had advocated keeping the notorious criminal in the country so that he could be tried for crimes against humanity in a Colombian court.
President Duque has maintained that the drug trafficker will still face justice in Colombia. “This criminal was extradited to serve sentences for drug trafficking in the United States,” he said. “But I want it to be clear that once those are fulfilled, he will return to Colombia to pay for the crimes committed against our country.”
After a seven-year manhunt, Otoniel was finally captured near the Panamanian border in October. 500 soldiers and 22 helicopters participated in the operation. Before his arrest, Washington had offered a $5 million reward for the whereabouts of the warlord.
Úsuga, leader of the notorious Clan del Golfo, a drug trafficker, is accused of bringing at least 73 tons of cocaine into the US between 2003 and 2012. The Clan del Golfo is believed to be one of the largest exporters of cocaine in the world. Otoniel’s arrest was seen as the biggest blow to Colombia’s drug trade since Pablo Escobar’s assassination in 1993.