Head of the Armed Forces Joint Command responded the lawyer of three former AVC by litigation against humanity

Image: El Comercio

A document with the response of the Military High Command arrived this morning, Wednesday November 23, 2015, to the office of Juan Pablo Alban, lawyer of Susana Cajas, Luis Vaca and Javier Jarrin, former members of the guerrilla group Alfaro Vive Carajo (AVC). 12 days ago, the lawyer sent a letter to Luis Garzon, Head of the Joint Command of the Armed Forces, in which he sought for clarification about what is the institutional position regarding the alleged tortures that were perpetrated between 1985 and 1988, during the government of Leon Febres Cordero.

In the document, Garzón does not clarify it. The official only said that “in accordance with the Organic Law on National Defence,” the matters required by state institutions to the Armed Forces will be channeled through the Ministry of Defense. He adds that “the order will be directed through the aforementioned political authority.”

On 9 November, the High Command went to the National Court of Justice (CNJ) in Quito, to support the five soldiers, now retired, prosecuted for perpetrating alleged crimes against humanity against Vaca, Cajas and Jarrin . This is the first trial that takes place in the country under this criminal figure.

In the government, the presence of the military leadership at the CNJ was not well received. President Rafael Correa said it was “inadmissible, inappropriate and intolerable” the assistance of the military to the audience.

Source: http://www.elcomercio.com/actualidad/comando-conjunto-ffaa-avc-juicio.html