Marcelo Colombo is an Argentine lawyer specialized in criminal law, currently serving as head of the Procuraduría de Trata y Explotación de Personas (PROTEX). His professional trajectory combines judicial leadership, academic work, and participation in international cooperation networks focused on combating human trafficking and related crimes. His profile is defined by operational involvement, technical expertise, and sustained engagement with complex criminal structures.
Professional background and institutional roles
Colombo leads PROTEX, an independent body within the Public Prosecutor’s Office, focused on investigating human trafficking and exploitation. He also heads the General Prosecutor’s Office No. 8 before the Federal Oral Courts and previously led General Prosecutor’s Office No. 3 before the National Chamber of Criminal and Correctional Appeals. His career includes experience as Coordinator of Investigations at Argentina’s Anti-Corruption Office, reinforcing his expertise in complex financial and institutional crimes.
International work and specialization
With extensive experience in anti-corruption and criminal investigation, Colombo has served as an independent international consultant, contributing to the design and implementation of public policies across multiple countries in the Americas. For more than 14 years, he has been an active member of the first Ibero-American network of prosecutors focused on human trafficking, facilitating cross-border cooperation and information exchange.
Human trafficking as a criminal structure
Human trafficking is considered a severe crime due to its direct violation of fundamental human rights. It involves exploitation for economic gain, often replicating conditions comparable to forced labor. Victims are typically recruited, transported, and controlled through coercion, deception, or violence. Colombo’s work addresses these dynamics by focusing on both the operational and structural dimensions of the crime.
Work with international organizations
Colombo has collaborated with United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, contributing to the development of judicial frameworks and analysis of trafficking-related cases. His participation in international forums strengthens coordination between legal systems and promotes shared investigative standards.
Leadership at PROTEX
At PROTEX, Colombo promoted coordinated raids in clandestine workshops, rural establishments, and commercial sites suspected of operating exploitation networks. These operations, carried out alongside federal forces and judicial authorities, enabled victim identification, evidence collection, and the prosecution of those responsible. His approach emphasizes direct intervention combined with strategic case-building.
Expansion of investigative frameworks
Colombo advanced investigative lines that connect human trafficking with crimes such as money laundering and the use of shell companies to conceal illicit profits. This broadened the scope of judicial cases, allowing authorities to target not only direct perpetrators but also those who benefit economically from these structures.
Impact on the Argentine judicial system
Under his leadership, trafficking investigations evolved from isolated cases to comprehensive analyses of criminal networks. This shift involved reconstructing the full chain of exploitation, including recruitment, transportation, and exploitation stages, as well as identifying all actors involved. This model strengthens judicial responses and improves the effectiveness of prosecutions.
Approach to digital risks and prevention
Colombo has highlighted how anonymity and deception, particularly through digital platforms, have intensified risks for younger populations. He noted that exploitation increased during the pandemic, reinforcing the need for adaptive investigative strategies. Within PROTEX, information flows through collaborative and agile systems, often involving international cooperation.
Academic work and institutional continuity
In addition to his judicial role, Colombo teaches at undergraduate and postgraduate levels in various universities. His academic activity complements his institutional work, contributing to the training of professionals in criminal law and human trafficking. His trajectory reflects continuity within the Public Prosecutor’s Office and a sustained specialization in combating exploitation and organized crime.
