Colombian President Alvaro Uribe defends brother against right-wing death squad charge

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iN8CMLt7CjU3g7mlZ8_n_n9XNoDwD9G053P00

By LUISA FERNANDA CUELLAR (AP) – 1 hour ago

BOGOTA, Colombia — Colombian President Alvaro Uribe defended his brother Friday against allegations of having led a right-wing death squad from the family ranch during the early 1990s.

In an interview with Todelar radio, Uribe suggested that the accusations by former police Maj. Juan Carlos Meneses were a fabrication and that he believed Meneses was paid by criminals.

Meneses was police chief in Yarumal, where the Uribe ranch is located, for four months during 1994. He told The Associated Press that Uribe's younger brother, Santiago, ran a death squad from the ranch during that time.

Meneses said Santiago Uribe paid him to allow its operation and estimated it killed at least 50 people. He said he fled Colombia in October after receiving death threats and has been living in neighboring Venezuela.