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(CNN Spanish) - Former Colombian congresswoman Aida Merlano, sentenced to 15 years in prison for concerted crimes for aggravated crime, corruption to the suffragent as co-author and illegal possession of weapons, escaped on Tuesday by launching with the help of a rope from his dentist's office in the Colombian capital, as confirmed by General William Ruiz, director of the National Penitentiary and Prison Institute (INPEC). This was the spectacular escape.
"She was complying with a dental medical check-up in the north of the city and given the private situation in the medical care with the dentist, she looks for the way, through the window of a third floor, to gain access to the street," he said. Ruiz in press conference.
Ruiz said they suspect the "active participation" of those who were with Merlano as the dentist, and other people on the street. The authorities activated a “padlock plan” - an operation to prevent the fugitive from leaving Bogotá - at the land and air transport terminals for the recapture of the political leader. The INPEC said there were two guards guarding it at the time of the escape and that they are being investigated for the "mistake."
General Ruiz said the transfer to the medical center was duly endorsed and complied with the protocol.
The authorities offer the equivalent of US $ 3,000, for information that leads to the capture of Merlano.
"I never imagined it was her," said one man, interviewed by the Colombian radio station Caracol Radio, who claims to have seen the escape of former Colombian congresswoman Aida Merlano.
https://www.facebook.com/caracolradio/videos/431817067452003/
“I annoyed her and I said 'ma'am, don't pull yourself out of there that you suddenly get hurt' […] when she fell, I was going to try to pick her up, but another person arrived, a cute girl (blonde), a cute lady to get on a motorcycle of a man, who was like Rappi. She got hurt because she was able to thunder (injure) because she didn't know how to fall. She grabbed the rope, but slipped, ”said the witness interviewed by Caracol Radio.
In a video provided by INPEC and disseminated by Cablenoticias, a CNN affiliate, which captures what seems to be the exact moment of the escape, it is seen how the motorcycle is waiting for her, the rope is shaken, the former congresswoman falls hard to the floor, dressed of light tones and a black wallet. Four people approach after she falls, a woman accompanies her to the motorcycle where she sits and tries to put on her helmet. When they start, keep trying to put it on. It is not very clear from this angle of the video if the helmet was delivered by the driver of the motorcycle or the woman who accompanied her there and was by his side until he left.
# The Ultimate | Video of the moment of the escape of Aída Merlano in Bogotá is revealed https://t.co/5J9tSvX7g3 pic.twitter.com/BxXCEghSaz
- CABLENOTICIAS (@CABLENOTICIAS) October 1, 2019
Aida MerlanoColombiaFugue