Colombian Film: EL ABOGADO DE LOS DIABLOS | Proimágenes Colombia

Synopsis

Joaquin Perez isn’t a government official: he’s a Miami-based lawyer who defends drug traffickers and paramilitaries. His client list includes some of the most notorious and wanted drug traffickers in Colombia -Carlos Castano, Rodrigo “Jorge 40” Tovar and Salvatore Mancuso. Still, Perez understands that his role has little to do with “defense” and everything to do with “cooperation.” Indeed, Perez pioneered the Colombian “flip” in Miami, using state evidence to lower sentences for his clients and avoiding trial in the process. Over the years, he has brokered deals for dozens of the most highly-sought Colombian drug traffickers, who in return have given information leading to the indictment and downfall of dozens of other drug traffickers. The lawyer’s persuasive tactics have led to a flood of arrests and the destruction of the most powerful drug cartels in Colombia. Perez is not alone. Dozens of lawyers now specialize in “flips.  They operate in the US, representing paramilitaries and drug traffickers alike; they travel frequently to Colombian jails to drum up business and meet often with Colombian officials to keep their client list fresh. Before extraditions are handed out, the lawyers must work their magic with the clients and government investigators, convincing the traffickers that their testimony will lead to a lower sentence and the investigators that the information is worth that exchange. The lawyers’ dance often leads to further indictments and, as a result, the extradition requests that have unraveled the top crime syndicates in Colombia