Bettercoal Public Statement on Blanco Maya Case in Colombia

Published on December 19, 2019

Jaime Blanco Maya, a former contractor of the Company and sentenced in 2013 to 38 years in prison for the murder of two company union leaders in 2001, has submitted himself to Colombia’s special jurisdiction for peace (Jurisdicción Especial para la Paz – JEP) to provide details on the company’s alleged involvement of financing the paramilitary group Colombia United Self-Defense Organisation (Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia -AUC) between 1993 – 2002. Mr Blanco Maya stated that he played an intermediary role between the Company and the North Block of the AUC.

The JEP accepted the case but has not yet decided whether to investigate the claim or not. The purpose of the JEP is to “administer transitional justice and make known the crimes committed in the framework of the armed conflict before December 1, 2016.”
If they fully cooperate with the system, perpetrators can expect to receive alternative sanctions, such as confinement to a community area where they will have to contribute as a volunteer for a number of years.

We appreciate that Drummond has already provided us with its response to the newspaper “El Espectador” and also appreciate that Drummond assures to support the work of the JEP in case it proceeds with the investigation, in an open and transparent way. Bettercoal will keep on following the development around this case closely.