Venezuelan authorities have detained in Caracas a sixth suspect in the murder of Paraguayan anti-mafia prosecutor Marcelo Pecci, who was killed in May while on his honeymoon on a beach in the Colombian Caribbean, Colombian police said on Wednesday (21).

According to the bulletin, Venezuelan citizen Gabriel Carlos Luis Salinas Mendoza is being held in Caracas and charged with driving a jet ski that was ridden by the shooter who killed the 45-year-old prosecutor.

Prosecutor Marcelo Pecci was killed while on his honeymoon in Colombia. Photo: Daniel Duarte/AFP/ND

Investigated for qualified murder and trafficking in weapons and ammunition, Salinas is the sixth person arrested for the murder of Pecci, who was shot dead in front of his pregnant wife on May 10 on the island of Baru, near Cartagena (north). . . .

Four of those arrested pleaded guilty and were each sentenced to 23 years in prison.

“This Venezuelan citizen is under the control of the Venezuelan intelligence service, deprived of his liberty,” awaiting “coordination” between the public ministries of the two countries to “make sure” he is “serving his sentence,” Colombian police director General Henry Armando Sanabria assured a press conference.

The head of the institution said that Venezuela “obstructs the extradition of its citizens” and, therefore, Salinas will be prosecuted in his country.

Authorities have not identified the customer behind Pecci’s murder, who was investigating drug trafficking and organized crime.

The United States has offered a $5 million reward to anyone who provides information about those responsible for the crime.

During the international investigation, several criminal organizations, such as the Brazilian criminal group PCC (First Capital Command), the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua and the Uruguayan Insfran clan, acted as suspects.

Pecci, who specializes in organized crime, drug trafficking, money laundering and terrorist financing, has investigated gangs in Brazil as well as Lebanese money launderers on the triple border between Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina.