The Minister highlighted progress in security evidenced by a 52% reduction in homicides compared to the previous year. In rural areas, the decrease was 42%, while in urban areas it reached 63%.
He in the same way recalled that there is a program with benefits for those who leave criminal structures and return to legality, and warned at the same time that "if they decide to persist in the criminal world, they will face the strength of the Military Forces will be used with full force."
During a Security Council held in Montería, in which national and departmental authorities and senior military and police commanders participated, the Minister of Defense, Pedro Sánchez Suárez, announced the activation of a new battalion of the Rapid Deployment Force No. 7 that will become operational in Córdoba from November. This battalion will have no fixed area of operations and will have high mobility capacity to provide support in security situations in this department and in neighboring territories.
The head of the Ministry of Defense in the same way highlighted the decrease in hitmen "one of the problems that was reduced by 64%. The same goes for brawls; that means we are saving more lives,” he explained.
At this meeting, the growth of extortion was addressed, a crime that hits merchants, transporters, small ranchers and contractors, sometimes linked to works with public resources. Given this scenario, the senior official announced a new shock plan that will be implemented in less than 15 days with the deployment of elite Military and Police Gaula (Anti-Extortion and Anti-Kidnapping Group) resources, in addition to reinforcements to Bogota. The joint work with the Attorney General's Office will in the same way be strengthened to get results, based on intelligence and citizen denunciation.
“We are not going to let them to continue murdering peasants and people, nor continuing extorting them. All the Military Forces will be used with full power" Sanchez added.
As for the fight against illegal armed groups, priority was given to operations against the Clan del Golfo, the ELN and the dissidents of alias Calarcá. For this, rewards of up to $3,284 million were provided for alias Gonzalito and alias Richard, both of the Clan del Golfo, and up to $1,000 million for alias Matias, ringleader of the ELN in the Puerto Valdivia area.
As part of the set of measures, the 11th Brigade has been strengthened with five new platoons, the incorporation of eight additional vehicles for patrolling and surveillance with drones and antidron systems on strategic road routes by Córdoba and Antioquia.
Finally, it was reported that the department's maritime and river security strategy will be rethought, focused on the Sinú River, the San Jorge River and the Urrá reservoir, without neglecting surveillance in the Caribbean Sea.
