For a year and 4 months, two officials from the Technical Investigation Corps (CTI) of the Prosecutor’s Office have been held hostage by the Eln after members of the so-called eastern war front of that narcoguerrilla intercepted the official van in which they were traveling on the road connecting Fortul with Arauquita (Arauca). In fact, they were subjected to an alleged ‘revolutionary trial’ after which it was announced that they would be held captive for several years.
EL TIEMPO’s Investigative Unit investigated and found evidence that, during Gustavo Petro’s government, the Eln used this case as a pressure mechanism to free bloodthirsty Eln members, under the guise of supposed humanitarian missions and exchanges.
The secret negotiation
The evidence is a crossing of letters held between officials of that administration and the so-called national leadership of the Eln, to which EL TIEMPO’s Investigative Unit had exclusive access.
According to the documents, from one month after the kidnapping of the CTI members, an exchange of communications began in which the conditions to release the two hostages were established.
In fact, then-president Gustavo Petro publicly announced that the possibility of a humanitarian exchange with the Eln to achieve the release would be opened, without giving further details.
But in the letters in EL TIEMPO’s possession, a concrete negotiation is discussed that has drawn the attention of foreign intelligence agencies: handing over the two CTI members in exchange for the Petro government ordering the release of 4 powerful leaders of that narcoguerrilla.
2 for 4: the ‘big fish’
In a first communication that the Eln sent to the Petro government, dated June 11, 2025, it reads: “The Eastern War Front, commander in chief Manuel Vásquez Castaño, of the National Liberation Army, the Eln and under the guidance of the Central Command, thanks the government headed by President Gustavo Petro Urrego, the Prosecutor’s Office, the UN and its verification mission (…) for the humanitarian efforts carried out to date in order to resolve the detention of Jesús Antonio Pacheco Oviedo and Rodrigo Antonio López Estrada, officials of the CTI of the Prosecutor’s Office.”
And they add: “At the same time, we disclose the names of four of our imprisoned comrades who would be exchanged, within the agreement and under the framework of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) to free the aforementioned CTI officials.”
In the same document, they state that these are José Rosely Cruz Laverde, Ramiro Pulgarín Hernández, Joel Quintero Uribe, and Fredy Buitrago Parada. All captured during Iván Duque’s government with even foreign intelligence support.
The police killer
Ramiro Pulgarín Hernández is known as alias El Burro. He is a leader of the Eastern War Front of that guerrilla who was captured in May 2021 in Saravena, Arauca, when entering from Venezuela.
The Prosecutor’s Office linked him at that time to the murders of more than 30 members of the Public Force and social leaders in Arauca, Boyacá, and Casanare.
For his part, Joel Quintero Uribe, alias Manteco, was captured in Arauquita, Arauca, in May 2020 during a military operation against an Eln structure.
Alias Manteco is identified as a leader of the Domingo Laín Sáenz Front of the Eln and has been part of that armed structure for more than 10 years.
José Rosely Cruz Laverde, another leader, is serving a 17-year sentence for aggravated homicide in El Barne prison, Boyacá.
While Fredy Buitrago Parada remains imprisoned for aggravated rebellion in La Dorada prison, Caldas.
The DNI’s response
And the matter progressed. In another letter, from September 2025, sent by the Eln to Jorge Arturo Lemus, then head of the DNI, the narcoguerrilla states: “We accept your proposal to appoint negotiating commissions and on our part, we are willing to meet to arrange the exchange mechanisms.”
EL TIEMPO’s Investigative Unit also had access to the DNI’s response to that communication and even established that a meeting was held in Arauca, with accompaniment from international organizations.
By that time, the potential exchange was already under the scrutiny of oversight bodies.
“Through this letter, I inform you that, once the special agreement proposal regarding detainees and hostages has been evaluated, we must state that this is only possible on the basis that it represents a humanitarian relief for those not directly participating in hostilities”, Lemus assured in his letter.
He added: “The National Government of the Republic of Colombia, headed by President Gustavo Petro, is willing to evaluate the release of four detainees, former Eln combatants, who have serious medical conditions and who, given the current conditions of the prison facilities where they are held, may face barriers in accessing treatments prescribed by accredited medical institutions. Likewise, detainees, former Eln combatants, who are of advanced age (over 70 years old) will be considered.”
In the document, Lemus also states that it was expected that the special agreement would contemplate the unconditional release of the kidnapped members of the Attorney General’s Office and the Public Force and requested proof of life to verify that they had not been subjected to degrading treatment or torture.
Additionally, it was discussed to delegate a commission to carry out a negotiation in person at a neutral location, with UN accompaniment and with all security guarantees for all participants.
(Check out all the articles from EL TIEMPO’s Investigative Unit here)
However, everything stopped when the caliber of the Eln members they sought to process was confirmed.
After finding this exchange of letters, it was proposed to increase the security of the imprisoned Eln members. And the instruction from Abelardo De la Espriella’s government is to combat all criminal structures.
INVESTIGATIVE UNIT
u.investigativa@eltiempo.com
@UinvestigativaET
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