Official announcement from the White House or U.S. Department of Justice

Colombia Requests Pardon for Extradited FARC Leader Simón Trinidad, Serving 60-Year Sentence

Nov 25, 2024, 06:35 PM

The Colombian government, under President Gustavo Petro, has formally requested that U.S. President Joe Biden grant a pardon to Juvenal Ovidio Ricardo Palmera Pineda, known as 'Simón Trinidad,' a former leader of the FARC guerrilla group. Trinidad, extradited to the U.S. in 2004, is currently serving a 60-year sentence for the kidnapping of three American contractors in 2003. The request, described as a humanitarian matter by the Colombian government, was conveyed through Colombia's ambassador to the U.S., Daniel García-Peña. This is not the first time such a request has been made. Trinidad has also faced charges in Colombia, including terrorism, homicide, and narcotrafficking. The proposal has sparked significant controversy, with victims of the FARC and Colombian officials, such as Procuradora Margarita Cabello, criticizing the move as politically motivated and dismissing the need for a pardon. Former U.S. hostage Marc Gonsalves condemned the request, stating, "Se ha tomado el camino de la impunidad." The government argues that the pardon could contribute to peace efforts, though critics assert that Trinidad can contribute without being released.