Henry Trigos Celón and Yamit Picón Rodríguez, ELN guerrilla members, were extradited to the United States on Thursday morning, Aug. 19, at the request by the Southern District Court of Texas for drug trafficking and conspiracy to commit a crime. 

 

According to Colombia's Justice Minister, Wilson Ruiz Orejuela, Picon Rodriguez is accused of being the leader of the ELN's Northeastern front and for doing business with the Sinaloa cartel. Trigos Celón is accused of storing and distributing drugs in the Colombian province, Norte de Santander.

 

"These two people must respond for their crimes in front of the U.S. justice after the Supreme Court of Justice approved a concept for their extradition last May," said the minister.

 

Iván Duque, president of Colombia, wrote "Do the crime, Do the time" on Twitter, referring to the acts committed by both criminals.

 

In addition, Duque pointed out that both members had an Interpol red notice out against them for being accused of participating in the attack against the General Francisco de Paula Santander Police School, where a car bomb exploded in 2019, leaving 22 people dead and more than 100 injured.

In the process, Alexánder Montoya Úsuga, AKA 'Flaco', a member of the Gulf Clan, was also requested by the Southern District Court of Florida for drug trafficking. It is alleged Úsuga managed cocaine hydrochloride trafficking routes in several departments of Colombia.

 

In addition to the extraditions, the Colombian government confirmed that two other ELN guerrilla members are on the waiting list to be sent to the United States: Franco Ruiz and José Gabriel Álvarez. 

 

"Franco Ruiz, alleged drug trafficking link of the ELN's Manuel Vásquez Castaño front is being studied by the Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice, these cases are the first extraditions of ELN members," said the Minister of Justice.

 

By extraditing the men, the Colombian Government begins the process of responding to growing calls from U.S. authorities to act on the drug trade.

In January 2004, alias 'Simon Trinidad', a member of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), was captured in Ecuador and quickly deported to Colombia, where he faced charges of rebellion, kidnapping and murder of former Colombian Minister Consuelo Araujo and several other crimes including homicides, extortion and kidnapping of bank associates, childhood friends and family members.

 

In November of that year, Colombia's Supreme Court approved Palmera's extradition to the United States, where he received a 60-year prison sentence for his role in the kidnapping of three Americans. 

 

Trinidad is currently serving his sentence at the ADX Florence maximum security prison in Florence, Colorado.