For attempted feminicide he was captured renowned composer vallenato

It became known that the composer of Vallenato music, Alberto 'Tico' Mercado, recognized as the author of 'Amarte is my life', 'Olvídala', 'The owner of my luck', among other successes, was arrested last Saturday in Valledupar, by agents of the Technical Investigation Corps (CTI) of the Prosecutor's Office.

The artist could serve up to more than 40 years in prison for the crime of attempted aggravated femicide against his former partner Fernanda Ariza Valencia. The capture was issued by the 17th Prosecutor's Office Cesar section, endorsed by the Seventh Municipal Criminal Court with duties of control of guarantees of Valledupar.

It is noteworthy that a virtual hearing was held on Sunday, but it was postponed until next Tuesday at nine in the morning, this happened, since the Prosecutor's Office requested the postponement in order to provide other evidence that could influence the decision.

The investigation began after Fernanda Ariza Valencia filed a complaint, after a meeting defined as casual, between her and the artist, on October 13, 2021, in which the victim claims that she was violently assaulted.

According to Ariza Valencia's account, she had not been romantically involved in a year and a half with the artist, but they kept talking because they had ended the engagement on good terms, so she saw no problem that he attended the meeting at his house.

Then she said that when all the attendees left the site, she stayed with a friend and Mercado returned with the excuse that she had kept her wallet.

“The meeting was at my house. Everyone left and after a few minutes he returned with the excuse that he had kept his wallet. At that moment, a young man with whom I have business greeted me through a message on my cell phone and 'Tico' took it the wrong way,” Ariza said.

“He began to claim me for some messages; in the midst of his anger he began to hang me saying that he would kill me because if I wasn't going to be with him I wouldn't be with anyone, because I belonged to him. I managed to let go and took my cell phone to call the police, that made him more angry and he began to stick fists on my face and head causing injuries to my cervical region, mouth, teeth, nose and eyes; in addition to blows to my back and arms,” Ariza recalled.

Among the evidence that the Prosecutor's Office has are the epicrisis of the Cesar clinic, the forensic report of Legal Medicine and the complaint of the crime of attempted murder, which began the proceedings against the composer.

In the complaint filed by Ariza, who is a lawyer by profession, she cited the opinion of Legal Medicine that granted her a 20-day disability for the damage caused. He also attached the photos showing the seriousness of the wounds on his face and torso.

The victim added that “I make this public complaint so that justice is served; I also don't want the process to be vitiated because of Mercado's fame and influences and because many women are physically and psychologically mistreated by violent men who must be denounced.”

When Ariza's public complaint came out, Mercado said in a statement that he did not want to comment publicly on the facts denounced by Fernanda Ariza because these are the subject of investigation of the Attorney General's Office; moreover, “out of respect for the aforementioned lady and her family, reasons why I will not refer explicitly to the facts”.

Now the composer 'Tico' Mercado will be presented before a judge of collateral control duties for prosecution, legalization of capture hearings, indictment of charges and request for assurance measure.

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