Miguel Ángel Insfrán, “Uncle Rico”, works on the border between Paraguay and Mato Grosso do Sul
Brothers Ramón and Andrés Pérez Hoyos surrounded by Colombian police (Photo: Handout)
Paraguayan drug trafficker Miguel Ángel Insfrán Galeano, known as “Uncle Rico”, is accused of ordering the murder of Paraguayan prosecutor Marcelo Pecci, which took place in Colombia last year.
One of the coordinators of the Task Force Against Organized Crime in Paraguay, Marcelo Pecci, was killed by gunmen on May 10, 2022 while spending his honeymoon on Barú Beach in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia.
According to the Colombian press, the police identified “Uncle Rico” as the mastermind after the arrest of Colombian brothers Andrés Felipe Péres Hoyos and Ramón Emilio Pérez Hoyos, arrested yesterday in Antioquia Department, Colombia.
Investigations by the Colombian police reveal that the two brothers hired Francisco Luis Correa Galeano at the behest of “Tio Rico” to kill the prosecutor. Galeano in turn hired the armed men. All are already trapped. Despite the eponymous surname, Francisco is Colombian and not related to “Uncle Rico”.
This Monday (16) the two Colombian brothers were questioned about the murder. In order to be entitled to a half reduction of their 40year sentence, guaranteed under Colombian law, they confessed to the crime and asked forgiveness from Marcelo Pecci’s family.
Without revealing their names, the Pérez Hoyos brothers claimed that the prosecutor was killed in revenge for putting their boss’s brother in prison. According to Colombian newspapers, this person is Miguel Insfran, who is hiding in the Colombian region of Guajira, on the border with Venezuela.
Before resorting to Colombian criminals, the drug dealer would have hired Brazilian gunmen to execute Marcelo Pecci. Despite a $1 million fee, the Brazilians failed to fulfill the contract.
Miguel Ángel Insfrán Galeano, who is on the run (Photo: reproduction)
“Uncle Rico” is the head of Clan Insfran, a criminal organization accused of using evangelical churches to launder money from the cocaine trade. The gang delivers large shipments of drugs to European, Asian and African countries.
Clan Insfran also operates on the border between Paraguay and Mato Grosso do Sul. On the 3rd of this month, 25yearold engineer Luis Ivan Estigarribia Alderete was arrested in Yasy Cañy, a town 80 km from Paranhos (MS) in Canyndeyú department. He is accused of being the “frontman” of the organization.
Miguel Mendieta, a lawyer for the Insfran family, told Paraguayan radio station ABC Cardinal that the allegation against “Uncle Rico” was a “smoke screen” to hide the real masterminds.
When asked why he did not introduce his clients (in addition to Tio Rico, his brother, the evangelical pastor José Insfran is also wanted), the lawyer said that the Paraguayan judiciary is “lazy” and that politics dictates more than the law.