Rodrigo Cruz

Rodrigo Cruz (nicknamed "El Jefe", spanish for "The Boss") is a Neuquenian, declared a War Criminal by the Patagonian Government and a terrorist, as well for War Criminal, by the Democratic republic of Tarakia.

Cruz served in a number of mercenary companies in the First Arauco Civil War prior to the Río Negro War. In said war he joined his country at the head of his own mercenary company, and fled after Córdoba turned on Neuquén. He joined the rebels during the Patagonian War of Independence.

He is sindicated with the murderer of over 300 civilians in the proximities of Choele Choel during the Battle of Choele Choel (Operation Neptune Dawn), as the bodies were found in a mass grave by the Armed Forces of Tarakia.

After the Battle of Río Gallegos, that marked the end of the Patagonian War of Independence, Cruz and his family fled into the Democratic Republic of Tarakia along with thousand of exiles. He was arrested upon arrival.

Exile and Imprisonment
After his arrest, Cruz was trialled in the Yohannes Court of Justice, and sentenced to ten years in prison, that he served in the Rockport Prison until August 2062 T.C., after being trasferred from the Lexington Prison for security reasons.

Upon their arrival Cruz´s Family was incorporated into the Tarakian Refugee Program for South America, and eventually found residence within the Democratic Republic. It is not very known what became of the rest of Cruz´s family, although his elder son Pablo left home short after their arrival.

From prison, Cruz insisted that the trial was filled with irregularities and that he was some scapegoat for the Tarakian justification of their part in the Río Negro War, as well for any limitations they established to their aid to the Patagonian refugees. This, however, has been disregarded many times by many parties, and no court gave space to these allegations. From 2058, Cruz´s efforts have been focused towards acquiring early pardon, with little success and regressing strenght.

Release
On mid-August 2062 Cruz was released from the Rockport Prison, upon his sentence being completed. Since then he has been seen meeting with some Patagonian activists, and was also spotted in the meeting of Arequipa of September.