▁Their ▁property ▁was ▁often ▁seized ▁without ▁due ▁process ▁via ▁an ▁ag ency ▁created ▁for ▁the ▁purpose ▁known ▁as ▁CON A RE PA ▁( National ▁Re par ations ▁Commission ), ▁which ▁had ▁liquid ated ▁an ▁estimated ▁US $ 2 0 0 ▁million ▁in ▁abs cond ed ▁valu ables ▁by ▁the ▁time ▁it ▁was ▁dissol ved ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 3 . ▁ ▁The ▁D irty ▁War ▁like wise ▁served ▁as ▁cover ▁for ▁numerous ▁r ans om ▁kid n app ings , ▁which ▁continued ▁even ▁after ▁the ▁return ▁of ▁dem ocracy ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁at ▁the ▁hand ▁of ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁the ▁same ▁officers . ▁The ▁Director ▁of ▁Battalion ▁ 6 0 1 , ▁the ▁Army ▁Int elligence ▁unit ▁where ▁most ▁of ▁these ▁r ans om ▁kid n app ings ▁origin ated , ▁was ▁the ▁hard - line ▁General ▁Gu ill ermo ▁Su á rez ▁Mason . ▁His ▁appointment ▁as ▁head ▁of ▁Y PF ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁was ▁followed ▁by ▁a ▁period ▁of ▁severe ▁mis management ▁at ▁the ▁state ▁oil ▁concern . ▁He ▁installed ▁many ▁of ▁his ▁hard - line ▁Army ▁Int elligence ▁colle agues ▁in ▁manager ial ▁posts , ▁and ▁they ▁in ▁turn ▁di vert ed ▁large ▁quantities ▁of ▁fuel ▁into ▁the ▁director ' s ▁newly ▁established ▁company ▁Sol ▁Pet ró le o ▁– ▁a ▁dummy ▁corpor ation ▁used ▁by ▁Su á rez ▁Mason ▁and ▁his ▁app o inte es ▁for ▁em be zz lement ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁to ▁di vert ▁funds ▁to ▁the ▁Con tras ▁and