After analyzing the voluntary versions delivered by several appearing parties who were part of the Infantry Battalion No. 46 Voltígerosbased in the uraba antioquiaabout different violent acts and alleged relationships between state agents y paramilitary groups in Uraba between 1995 and 2011, the Office of the Attorney General of the Nation requested the give call as a witness the ex-Commander of the Army, General (r) Eduardo Zapateiro Altamiranda and other officers and non-commissioned officers who held command and coordination positions in operations in that Military unitto delve into the truth about the occurrence of different violent events during that period.
According to the observation document delivered to the givethe reasons that allow requesting, in protection and guarantee of rights of the victims, the call for voluntary versions of Zapateiro as well as other members of the Army, Police and ex-paramilitaries.
The summons to General Zapateiro would be related to his testimony about the events surrounding the massacre of “The Aracatazo”which occurred on August 12, 1995 in the nightclub of the same name, located in Chigorodówhere 18 people were killed.
For this moment, shoemaker He held the rank of captain and commanded the Cordoba company, which was part of the aforementioned battalion and exercised territorial control in that municipality. That day two platoonsone assigned to that company, were present at the place and according to the versions of the military appearing in this subcase, they would have allowed the actions of the paramilitary group that perpetrated the massacre.
“Our request is with the intention that the testimony of the General Zapateiro serve to clarify and provide more light to the magistracy and the Public ministry to determine the conditions of time, manner and place that he is aware of this fact, tending to the construction of truth”assured the first attorney delegate before the JEP, Alonso Pio Fernandez Angarita.
the other witnesses
In the observation document, the attorney suggests listening as witnesses in the case to the Sergeant Baudilio Lopezwho held the rank of corporal, with the purpose of helping to clarify the precise order that, for the August 12, 1995was issued by the command.
Also to the lieutenant Juan Carlos Arbelaezbelonging to the Special Forceswho was in charge of capturing some of the paramilitaries who committed the slaughterseeking to clarify how this procedure was carried out and a possible coordination of the extinct paramilitary chief Carlos Castano with the Army, in addition to the police officers responsible for the safety and protection of the population within the urban area on the day of the massacre.