t’s not clear why Varela is alleged to have fled to the Chinese-controlled city, as his family is from Colombia
And she was from Columbia too. Abuse, etc. is acceptable in that culture. Just importing the best and brightest!
Yes it is clear. He was trying to get to the PRC which doesn’t have an extradition treaty with the US, though HK does. It takes a week to ten days to get the visa to visit China from China Travel Services.
He probably wasn't too clear either.
30 years after its handover from the UK, Hong Kong, while still a seemingly open city, has all the security technology tracking and ID controls that China has, and China runs it. It would be impossible for anyone, especially a foreigner and Columbian, to blend-in and disappear.