The defense minister, Holmes Trujillo, said in a press conference that the National Government condemns any act that violates the Constitution, the Law, human rights and International Humanitarian Law, referring to the allegations of the magazine Semana about alleged illegal interceptions made by members of the National Army.
Accompanied by the commander of the Military Forces, general Luis Fernando Navarro, and the commander of the National Army, general Eduardo Enrique Zapateiro, the Minister was emphatic in indicating that, even before his possession on August 7, 2019, President Iván Duque "was clear in expressing that his policy is zero tolerance with illegal acts or corruption within the Security forces, so he has been emphatic in demanding total transparency in the work of intelligence and counterintelligence."
He added that "this policy includes the rejection of any type of persecution, follow-up or illegal interceptions in the country" and he affirmed that "the National Government guarantees transparency and promotes all necessary investigations of a disciplinary, administrative, criminal and fiscal nature, by the agencies to clarify the facts denounced in Semana Magazine. If there were irregularities, the Government requires that those responsible be punished in an exemplary manner. "
The head of the Ministry of Defense said that last December President Iván Duque ordered an audit of the intelligence and counterintelligence activities that have been carried out during the last 10 years in the National Army, in order to "verify and evaluate the compliance with the Constitution, the Law, plans, programs, projects, objectives, processes and procedures at all levels of the organization in intelligence and counterintelligence activities.”
Finally, the Minister called on Colombians to be have faith and trust in institutions and in the work carried out to investigate these allegations. “The truth will come as a result of the investigations. The truth will not arise quickly. The Army is a respectable institution,” he said.
Source: Sectorial Communication - Ministry of National Defense
