Abelardo de la Espriella orders transfer of FARC dissident leader

President Abelardo de la Espriella has ordered the National Penitentiary and Prison Institute (INPEC) to transfer Édgar de Jesús Orrego Arango, known as alias ‘Firu’, to a high-security facility with stricter communication restrictions.

The order follows a complaint by the Governor of Antioquia, Andrés Julián Rendón, who alleged that Orrego Arango, a leader of the FARC dissidents' 36th Front, has been using electronic devices from prison to conduct TikTok live streams and video calls with another individual known as alias ‘Primo Gay’.

In response to the allegations, the President instructed the director of INPEC to ensure the transfer is conducted under strict penitentiary conditions. INPEC has reportedly initiated an operation in the inmate's cell, and he is expected to be isolated before being moved to a new establishment where cellular and electronic signals are blocked.