Minister Velásquez orders increased operations against the Organized Armed Group, GAO, Clan del Golfo in the Magdalena Medio region.
The Metropolitan Police Command of Valledupar will generate, starting in March, greater resources to provide support in the Magdalena Medio region.
"We have to show effective results” Minister of Defense to Military Forces commanders in magdalena medio.
Through a technical study, the defense sector will seek to adapt the Resources of the Military Forces, in order to work to increase the river control of the Zapatosa Swamp.
At the end of a security council in which the Minister of Defense, Iván Velásquez Gomez reviewed together with local and regional leaders, as well as at the event that was attended by control agencies, and territorial commands of the Military Forces, the security situation of the Middle Magdalena, on the expansion of the GAO Clan del Golfo in this part of the country, the person in charge of the ministry of security assured that the Military Forces are working for the return of displaced communities and the possibility of mobility of the communities confined because of confrontations between illegal organizations for the control of the territory.
“The Military Forces assume the commitment and we are going at the Ministry of Defense to do everything possible so that the return of these families occurs as soon as possible,” ratified the Minister of Defense, while explaining that all the efforts of the institutions should be turned to the benefit of the inhabitants who suffer the consequences of the confrontations between the illegal organizations.
On the other hand, the authorities announced the arrival of 8 river combat boats during the next two weeks, in order to provide the Navy Infantry with better resources for the fulfillment of its operation in river control. In the same sense, the National Police Directorate sent a special group against illegal mining, which complements the operations that the Military Forces have been carrying out, and whose increase was announced, given that illegal mining is one of the engines of the confrontation that illegal groups have for the control of the territory.
The person in charge of the Ministry of security in the same way demanded that the Military Forces increase the effectiveness in the territorial control exercised there, “We have to show effective results, that is, results that translate into the absolute absence of this organization ( referring to the GAO Clan del Golfo) in this territory and at the Northeast of Antioquia,” the senior official said, while warning that the Ministry of Defense will carry out a very rigorous follow-up work, both to the illegal activities of the gang, as to the operations that are used by the Military Forces and the National Police to raise the tranquility of the inhabitants.
As a result of the Security Council, it was determined that, along with illegal mining, there are two other criminal phenomena that the authorities must give priority to, through high-impact operations, and these phenomena are extortion and drug trafficking.
In the same way, it was announced that a decree is about to be issued by President Gustavo Petro, with which it is intended to increase the resources of the Military Forces in the fight against criminal mining, since it will grant powers to the Military Forces to work with the National Police, on operations against this problem. Currently, the Military Forces can only carry out security, support, guidance and protection tasks, to the operations carried out by the National Police, in the fight against these criminal activities of the armed groups outlaw.
Source: Press - Ministry of National Defense
