The Minister of Defense, Diego Molano, highlighted the important results of the Artemisa Plan that the Military and Police Forces are conducting, during the National Roundtable to Combat Deforestation in the Amazonas Region, an event led by the Office of the Inspector General of the Nation.
In his speech, the head of the Ministry of Defense, highlighted the permanent and fundamental mission of all soldiers and police officers to protect the country's water, biodiversity and forests.
“In the frame of the Plan of President Iván Duque, it was approved that resources will be treated as strategic assets to protect forests, water and biodiversity, which produced modifications in the operation of our Military and Police Forces when the Artemisa Campaign is created,” Molano said.
This campaign, which arises in response to a global threat such as deforestation, reports important results, since, so far, there are 27,043 hectares intervened, 17 phases have been carried out as well as 107 arrests.
“Colombia got a compromise at the Drugglow Summit, with the objective of reducing the deforested areas by 50 percent and that only happens when there is political decisions and when there are decisive operations to dismantle those threats that originate deforestation,” said Minister Molano.
In the same way, the head of the ministry affirmed that there are three main threats in deforestation issues; the first is related to land appropriation to make illegal and criminal extensive livestock farming, drug trafficking for illicit plantations and illegal logging.
In relation to the operations that the Military Forces have carried out in this matter, it stands out the planting of trees and the special aeroforestation tests that are being carried out thanks to the Colombian Air Force.
“Through these operations, arrests of those who are deforesters materializes, there are others who have surrendered, but in the same way for the first time, we come to find not only the perpetrators, but those who favor conditions from a war point of view,” Molano said.
Finally, Minister Diego Molano assured that “with all our strength we are working for the protection of the environment to continue facing the challenges in the frame of controlling deforestation.”
- 22,300 men were sent to guard protected areas, stop deforestation factors and combat criminal organizations.
- With the Artemisa Plan, alias Ivan Mordisco and alias Gentil Duarte are charged for the first time as ecocides and deforesters.
Source: Defense Sector Communications Office - Ministry of National Defense
