The United States vs. Rito Alejo del Río
Washington, D.C., September 29, 2010 - The U.S. ambassador to Colombia reported in 1998 that the "systematic arming and equipping of aggressive regional paramilitaries" was "pivotal" to the military success of Gen. Rito Alejo del Rнo Rojas, now on trial for murder and collaboration with paramilitary death squads while commander of a key army unit in northern Colombia. The Secret "Biographic Note" from Ambassador Curtis Kamman is one of several documents published today by the National Security Archive pertaining to Del Rнo, whose trial resumes this month after years of impunity and delay.