Spain Arrests Former Uruguay Colonel For Dictatorship Genocide

A former colonel wanted by Uruguayan authorities concerning human rights abuses and genocide has been arrested in Spain.

The colonel identified as Eduardo Augusto Ferro was arrested in the town of Peniscola in the eastern Spanish province of Castellon via a coordinated effort involving Spanish national police and Interpol on January 27th. The colonel is wanted by authorities in his home country of Uruguay concerning human rights abuses and genocide that occurred during the countries military dictatorship throughout the 1970s and into the early ’80s.

Ferro is wanted by authorities in Uruguay due to his involvement in ‘operation condor’ – the codename for a continent-wide operation carried out all across South America in the ’70s and ’80s which involved using extreme measures such as torturing and killing to repress anti-government movements.

He faces charges of kidnapping, torture and participation in the killings of young members of anti-government organisations between 1973 and 1985.

The Spanish authorities announced in a press release following the arrest that Ferro had been detained under a valid extradition arrest warrant issued by the Uruguayan authorities. Information regarding the whereabouts of the colonel was given to the Spanish National Police by Uruguay-Interpol allowing them to locate and arrest him.

The ex-colonel is currently detained at the Magistrates court of Vinaros (Castellon) where he is waiting to be sentenced to prison.

It is unknown whether the suspect will be extradited.