They prosecute doctor and nurse who performed clandestine abortions for the ELN

In the last few hours, the Attorney General's Office confirmed the capture of Carlos Antonio Valdés Zuluag a, manager of a clinic in Saravena and a professional attached to the municipal hospital. With him, Bellany Castro Quintero was also apprehended, alias “la caballota”, “bella” or “Gladys”, who would presumably be his nurse.

The judiciary points out that the two health professionals allegedly facilitated the entry of the members of the Ernesto Che Guevara structure of the National Liberation Army, ELN, into health centers. Injured subversives or those suffering from severe tropical diseases received “privileged treatment”. They say that there is evidence that they traveled to the criminal group camps in Venezuela, to carry out treatments, give health training and carry money.

adds the statement issued by the Office of the Prosecutor.

An audio published by the same Prosecutor's Office shows that during a hearing, the prosecutor relates the testimony of the victim who claimed:

Within the evidentiary material, it would be demonstrated that what was stated by the witness occurred since 2014, until the time of her capture. For this reason, a prosecutor from the Specialized Directorate Against Criminal Organizations charged Carlos Valdés and Bellany Castro for the crimes of abortion without consent, rebellion, financing of terrorism and organized crime groups, as well as the administration of resources related to terrorist activities and organized crime. Although they explain, that each individual will be assessed the level of responsibility in each of the facts.

During the conviction hearing, neither the doctor nor the nurse accepted the charges charged; for this reason, a guarantee control judge imposed a measure of custodial assurance on them, but they will serve it in home detention, since, the fact of not presenting a judicial record was considered. The Prosecutor's Office requested an appeal to reevaluate the decision not to send them to prison.

During the above operation, the Prosecutor's Office captured William Efraín Higuera Chacón, who was the one to communicate the instructions of the leaders, in addition to transporting the ELN militants. The Prosecutor's Office charged him with the crime of rebellion and he was punished with the same measure of deprivation of liberty.

Despite not accepting the charges, the prosecutor assured that it will continue investigations, in order to find more victims, women and/or minors, who have been forced to abort by the ELN guerrillas.

In recent weeks, operations, both judicial and military, have intensified against structures and members of the illegal armed group, where several alleged leaders have fallen. This is why increases in armed confrontation have been reported in several regions of Colombia.

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