Top Colombia drug fugitive asks pope to pray for disarmament

BOGOTA, Colombia — Colombia’s top drug fugitive has shown his face for the first time on occasion of the pope’s visit to the country, publishing a video Wednesday in which he asks for prayers that his group be allowed to lay down its weapons as part of the country’s peace process.

In the 90-second video published on social media, Dairo Usuga, for whose capture the U.S. has offered a $5 million bounty, describes himself as a peace-loving, God-fearing peasant who was “forced for 30 years to carry weapons in his defense.”

“I’m convinced that the only way out of the conflict is dialogue,” said Usuga, dressed in camouflaged fatigues.