The Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) announced on Thursday that it accepted the submission of Juvenal Ovidio Ricardo Palmera Pineda, alias "Simón Trinidad," who was a member of the now-disbanded FARC guerrilla group and is involved in five criminal proceedings, although another 116 proceedings against him will be investigated.
The Amnesty or Pardon Chamber took cognizance of five criminal proceedings and requested additional information on 116 more proceedings to study the current judicial situation of "Simón Trinidad", while it requested to review two other cases in which he was acquitted in ordinary courts.
Palmera, who is currently deprived of liberty in a prison in the state of Colorado, in the United States, had filed a commitment document requesting his entry into the JEP. He was extradited in 2004 for the kidnapping of three Americans.
The former guerrilla is being prosecuted in Colombia for terrorism, homicide, displacement and forced disappearance; drug trafficking, use of illicit means and methods of war; destruction and appropriation of protected property; seizure of aircraft, ships or means of public transportation, kidnapping for ransom and rebellion, among other criminal acts committed during the armed conflict.
"Simón Trinidad" was one of the historical leaders of the extinct guerrilla group, and since the mid-90s one of the commanders of the Caribbean Block of the FARC. He was captured on January 2, 2004 in Quito, Ecuador.
Before being accepted by the JEP, he was already on the list of appearances that the special justice announced in the framework of Case 1 on kidnappings carried out by the FARC.
