Colombia Extradites Parailitary Leader to US

Today Colombia extradited Carlos "Macaco" Jimenez to the United States. This is the first time that a former right-wing paramilitary boss has had to face U.S. justice for drug trafficking.
Jimenez was a leader of the Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (AUC).

Colombia has a histpry of being willing to "throw the book" at left-wing paramilitaries and those involved in the drug trade, but (some say because of ties to the government) has not done the same with right-wing paramilitaries.

This was a smart move by Uribe," Bogota-based security analyst Pablo Casas said of the Jimenez extradition. "It sends a message to emerging criminal groups, commanded by former paramilitaries, that the government will be tough on them. It also shows U.S. Democrats that Uribe is serious about confronting the paramilitaries."

Sources : BBC Mundo and Reuters