Warrant Is Issued for ‘Emerald Czar’

Investigators have issued an arrest warrant for Victor Carranza, 63, known as the country’s undisputed “emerald czar,” on charges that he set up a right-wing death squad. Sources close to Carranza said the charges were part of a complex vendetta against him by justice officials. News of the warrant came three weeks before a prestigious, government-sponsored gem congress that was organized in a bid to boost the image of Colombia’s emerald trade, tarnished by a six-year war between rival miners that ended in 1989 and killed 3,000 people. Industry insiders said Carranza, who owns two of Colombia’s top four emerald mining companies and has a major stake in a third, has more than 2,000 armed employees and has formed a private army. Human rights groups accuse the gang of killing leftist politicians and suspected guerrilla sympathizers.