III 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 208 

Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the requested release of convicted terrorist Juvenal Ovidio Ricardo Palmera Pineda, also known 

as ‘‘Simon Trinidad’’, from prison in the United States as a part of 

the Colombian peace process. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 23, 2015 

Mr. RUBIO submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the requested 

release of convicted terrorist Juvenal Ovidio Ricardo 

Palmera Pineda, also known as ‘‘Simon Trinidad’’, from 

prison in the United States as a part of the Colombian 

peace process. 

Whereas the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People’s Army (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia—Eje ́rcito del Pueblo (FARC–EP) is a Marxist insurgency group engaged in a bloody civil war with the Government of Colombia; 

Whereas FARC–EP has been designated a Foreign Terrorist 

Organization by the Department of State since 1997; 


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•SRES 208 IS 

Whereas fighting between FARC–EP and the Government of 

Colombia has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, including United States citizens, since 1964; 

Whereas multiple FARC–EP terrorists have been indicted, 

captured, and extradited to the United States to face 

trial for their crimes against United States citizens; 

Whereas Juvenal Ovidio Ricardo Palmera Pineda, also known 

as ‘‘Simon Trinidad’’, joined FARC in the 1980s and 

later became a rebel leader within the FARC–EP; 

Whereas, on February 13, 2003, a small Cessna airplane carrying 5 people including a United States pilot named 

Thomas Janis, a Colombian national, Luis Cruz, and 3 

other United States nationals, Marc Gonsalves, Keith 

Stansell, and Thomas Howes, crashed in Southern Colombia; 

Whereas heavily armed FARC–EP guerrillas immediately 

surrounded the plane and brutally executed Thomas 

Janis and Luis Cruz, then took the other men hostage; 

Whereas, on April 27, 2003, the FARC–EP issued a 

communique ́ taking credit for the abduction of the three 

United States nationals, made demands in exchange for 

the release of the hostages, and appointed ‘‘Simon Trinidad’’ the spokesperson and negotiator for the FARC–EP; 

Whereas ‘‘Simon Trinidad’’ was captured in Ecuador’s capital of Quito 8 months later on January 2, 2004; 

Whereas ‘‘Simon Trinidad’’ was convicted by a court in Colombia for aggravated kidnapping and rebellion and sentenced to 35 years in prison on May 4, 2004; 

Whereas ‘‘Simon Trinidad’’ was convicted by a United States 

jury of plotting to hold 3 United States nationals hostage 


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•SRES 208 IS 

after they were captured in Colombia, and was sentenced 

to 60 years in prison on January 28, 2008; and 

Whereas FARC–EP has reportedly named ‘‘Simon Trinidad’’ 

a member of their Colombian peace negotiating team and 

made a request for President Barack Obama to release 

him: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) opposes the FARC–EP’s requested release 

3 of Juvenal Ovidio Ricardo Palmera Pineda, also 

4 known as ‘‘Simon Trinidad’’, who was convicted by 

5 a United States jury of plotting to hold 3 United 

6 States nationals hostage after they were captured in 

7 Colombia, and was sentenced to 60 years in prison; 

8 (2) extends deepest sympathies to all family 

9 members of the victims of FARC–EP atrocities; and 

10 (3) recognizes this type of action would send a 

11 negative message to terrorist groups and undermines 

12 the United States judicial system. 

Æ 


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