After the meeting of the Ministry of Defense and the Advisory Board, after analyzing the particularities of the case, a decision was made to remove Colonel Elkin Alfonso Argote Hidalgo, Chief of Staff of the Command of Recruitment and Control of Reserves.
This determination is framed in the principle of Zero Tolerance in relation to any action that takes place out of the framework of the Constitution and the law. This decision is made in compliance with Article 104 of the Career Regime of the Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers of the Military Forces, after knowing that the officer was traveling in an official vehicle accompanied by Miguel Antonio Bastidas, known as "Gargola" at the time of the capture of this in Soacha, in the department of Cundinamarca.
In addition to being removed of the service due to the seriousness of his acts, Colonel Argote Hidalgo must face the criminal investigation that may arise and also the proceedings derived of the disciplinary inquiry 006 of 2019, in order to verify his alleged responsibility in this case in the framework of the Disciplinary Regime of the Military Forces (Law 1862 of 2017), in order to safeguard the principle of institutional transparency and the decisions derived of the investigations carried out by the authorities.
The Ministry of Defense and the National Army will continue to provide the support to facilitate the judicial investigations that may take place as well as the available the information and resources that are necessary for that purpose.
Source: Ministry of National Defense.
