Álvaro Araújo Castro

Álvaro Araújo Castro (born November 7, 1967, in Santa Marta, Magdalena department) is a Colombian politician [http://www.elcolombiano.com.co/BancoConocimiento/R/rostros/rostros.asp?CodSeccion=7] and the leader of the ALAS-Team Colombia political movement.

While serving as a Senator he was accused of having ties to paramilitary groups and jailed in 2007, as part of the Parapolitica scandal. He also has legal proceedings pending for allegedly participating in the kidnapping and extorsion of former mayor of Valledupar, Elías Ochoa's brother, Víctor. [http://www.semana.com/wf_InfoArticulo.aspx?IdArt=100666]

Career

After graduating as Economist from the Externado University in Bogotá, 27-year old Araújo ran for the Chamber of Representatives, representing the Colombian Liberal Party and was elected. Two years later, along with his father, he founded a dissident political movement called Alternativa de Avanzada Social (Alas) ("Alternative for Social Advance"). After his second term in the Chamber of Representatives, in 2002 he ran for the Senate receiving more than half of his votes from the department of Cesar and Bogotá, where he got the highest vote for someone from the Caribbean Region. His movement supported Álvaro Uribe for the Presidency of Colombia. [http://www.terra.com.co/elecciones_2006/partidos/10-01-2006/nota271015.html] The turnout of voters from the department of Cesar created suspicion especially because of the paramilitary influence seen in the area. Araújo acquired most of his votes between 1999 and 2000. In May, 2005 Colombian magazine "Revista Semana" published an article in which it was revealed a possible plan by paramilitaries to influence democratic elections. The Cesar Department was divided into two zones; the G-8 formed by 8 municipalities in central Cesar Department where revenues from coal mining are high and in which senator Mauricio Pimiento and representative Jorge Enrique Ramírez got most of their votes. The other zone was denominated G-11 formed mostly by southern Cesar Department municipalities were representative Miguel Durán and Araújo had a high turnout. In response to these questionings Araújo explained that this turnout had been a result of years of hardworking political agenda. He also said that in tamalameque where he received more than 70% of the total votes, his third runner up Ricardo Chajín had great political influence because he had been mayor of that town. [http://www.terra.com.co/elecciones_2006/partidos/10-01-2006/nota271015.html] Until February 2007, Araújo was a member of the Fifth Commission of the Senate in which he promoted Hydrocarbon projects and proposed the Mines Code which has duplicated Colombian production of coal. He also proposed a law to defend equal ownership rights for gay couples. [http://www.terra.com.co/elecciones_2006/partidos/10-01-2006/nota271015.html] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/spanish/latin_america/newsid_6042000/6042144.stm]

After the demobilization of the Cacique Nutibara Paramilitary Bloc, Araújo proposed to integrate its members into the Armed Forces of Colombia if they met certain judicial requisites. [http://www.terra.com.co/elecciones_2006/partidos/10-01-2006/nota271015.html]

Parapolitica scandal

In January 19, 2006 Araújo was first accused by then candidate for senate Gustavo Petro, for having ties with paramilitary groups headed by a now demobilized paramilitary leader known as Jorge 40 and its men. [http://www.caracol.com.co/noticias/239835.asp]

On February 16, 2007 Araújo was arrested along other senators for having ties to illegal paramilitary groups. [http://www.eltiempo.com/justicia/2007-02-16/ARTICULO-WEB-NOTA_INTERIOR-3441236.html]

Accomplice in kidnapping

Araújo was also formally accused of the kidnapping and extortion of former Mayor of Valledupar, Elías Ochoa's brother Víctor. [http://www.semana.com/wf_InfoArticulo.aspx?IdArt=100666]

Family

Araújo is son of Álvaro Araújo Noguera, brother of María Consuelo Araújo, and nephew of former Colombian minister of Culture Consuelo Araújo. He is also a cousin of Cesar Department's governor Hernando Molina.

References

* [http://www.caracol.com.co/noticias/239835.asp Caracol.com.co - Gustavo Petro acusa al senador Álvaro Araújo de tener vínculos paramilitares]
* [http://www.eltiempo.com/justicia/2007-02-16/ARTICULO-WEB-NOTA_INTERIOR-3441236.html El Tiempo - Presos cinco congresistas más por el caso de la parapolítica]
* [http://www.terra.com.co/elecciones_2006/partidos/10-01-2006/nota271015.html terra.com.co Alas Equipo Colombia - Perfiles de sus líderes: Álvaro Araújo]