Colombian Foreign Minister Álvaro Leyva thanked President Nicolás Maduro for the advances in diplomacy with Bogotá after the deportation of former congresswoman Aída Merlano to Colombia.
“Once again direct diplomacy with you produces results. Thus, our peoples are magnified. No more dark years. Interpreting the will of President Petro will soon have pleasant surprises for our nations and the entire world, ”said the foreign minister through his twitter account.
For his part, the New Granada Minister of Justice, Néstor Osuna, explained upon the arrival of the former congresswoman in Colombia, that it was thanks to a diplomatic effort by the Government of Colombia and Venezuela that her deportation was achieved.
He assured that Merlano did not arrive extradited to his country, but as a deportee, a different condition that is not part of the judicial collaboration and that would have been taken to speed up the process. Along with the consultations for her extradition, “diplomatic efforts were also made that led to a decision by the Government of Venezuela to deport her and hand her over,” Minister Osuna explained.
Two sentences weigh on Merlano, one for the crimes of conspiracy to commit a crime, fraud against the voter and illegal carrying of firearms, he must also answer for the crime of escape of deprived of liberty.
