In a year of permanent presence of the Military Forces in the Micay Canyon, more than 80 tons of humanitarian aid have been distributed, cellular connectivity was restored in rural areas and 2,500 presents were distributed on Christmas 2024.
* The Mobile Hospital of El Plateado is currently in operation, with second-level services and an investment of more than $8,000 million in equipment and operation. The investment in health in the Micay Canyon reaches $182,000 million.
* “Transforming territories that have been submerged in the drug trafficking economy for decades was not possible in one year. It requires persistence, unified operation of the State, the task is not easy, but it is worth it for the future of people,” Minister of Defense said.
With more than six months of planning, Operation Perseo was consolidated on October 12, 2024, marking a milestone in the recent history of the southwest of the country. That day, a joint component of more than 1,400 members of the Military Forces, together with units of the Urban Anti-Terrorist Special Forces Grouping (AFEAU), entered the village of El Plateado (Cauca), with the purpose of recovering territorial control, neutralizing illicit activities and working to increase the comprehensive activity of the State.
Global report on the Micay Canyon after one year of Operation Perseo
* During last year, the Military Forces have obtained powerful results throughout the department of Cauca, focusing their efforts on the Micay Canyon by the municipalities of El Tambo, López de Micay, Guapi, Timbiquí and Argelia, which make up the area of operations:
* Illegal recruitment of minors was neutralized by -49%, reflecting the institutional commitment to the protection of children, in coordination with the ICBF. In the same way, 13 minors were recovered from forced recruitment.
* Terrorism was reduced by -29%, as a result of the dismantling of ELN structures and dissidents.
* Theft was reduced by -18% in the country area.
* Clashes among criminal actors decreased by -75%, a sign of the strengthening of State control in areas historically disturbed by violence
* 61 reported damages against illegal armed structures during 2025.
* 38 members of criminal structures demobilized, an increase of 31%, reflecting the impact of military pressure and surrender mechanisms.
* 122 laboratories for the production of narcotics destroyed, weakening the productive base of drug trafficking.
* The dissidents of alias Mordisco was the group with the most loses due to the military actions (84% of the shares), followed by the ELN (16%).
* Homicides decreased by -30% in urban areas.
* Extortion decreased by -50%, thanks to the work of the Military and Police GAULA (ANTI-EXTORTION AND ANTI-KIDNAPPING GROUP) and the strengthening of joint intelligence.
Other results
* 401 improvised explosive devices destroyed.
* 359 anti-personnel mines neutralized.
* 288,554 munitions found.
* 21 longrifles and 18 handguns recovered.
* 223 grenades destroyed.
In parallel with the security operations, the activity of the Military Forces has led to the entry of humanitarian care and wellbeing for the communities:
* More than 80 tons of humanitarian aid distributed.
* 2,500 presents distributed during December 2024.
* Restoration of cellular connectivity in rural areas.
* Recuperation of the main road and construction of the La Esperanza military bridge, which connects the villages of La Hacienda and El Plateado.
* Maintenance of aqueduct networks and basic drinking water supply.
The Ministry of Health, put into operation Mobile Hospital of El Plateado, with second-level services and an investment of more than $8,000 million in endowment and operation. In the same way, the construction of the new hospital of El Plateado is progressing, with a 15% physical progress and an investment of $22,458 million, for the benefit of more than 10,800 inhabitants.
Despite the attack with drones and explosives by the dissidents of alias Mordisco on February 17, the hospital construction was restored and strengthened with new biomedical equipment. In total, the investment in health in the Micay Canyon amounts to $182,000 million.
“Transforming territories that have been submerged in the drug trafficking economy for decades was not possible in one year. It requires persistence, unified operation of the State. The task is not easy, but it is worth it for the future of people,” the Defense Minister assured.
“We have been hand in hand with people for a year now in El Plateado and La Hacienda, villages of Argelia and El Tambo respectively. That didn't happen decades ago. What seemed impossible, we are making possible,” he said.
Regarding the voluntary surrender of the main ringleaders of the dissidents in the Micay Canyon, the head of the Ministry of Defense said that “fracturing the threat's will to fight is the pinnacle of a military strategy. The voluntary surrender of alias Kevin and then his successor alias Yiovany is a clear message: it makes no sense to continue in the dissidents and the best thing is to demobilize.”
In the same sense, the Minister made a call to the communities of the Micay Canyon: “Rejecting threats and seditions is a collective duty. Systematically attacking and threatening the inhabitants as the dissidents of alias Mordisco do are crimes against humanity. I say to people: think about how you want to see your children in 10 or 30 years; in the middle of drug trafficking plantations or in Cacao and coffee plantations. Abandoning dependence on the illegal is the only way to grow in peace and prosperity.”
“The Colombian State is not going to leave you alone and is not going to abandon the purpose of recovering the Micay Canyon and all the territories disturbed by the violence of the drug trafficking cartels. Country people and Micay communities, one does not decide where to be born, but what to do with one's life. Let's make the Micay a national pride” added Minister Pedro Sánchez Suárez.
Source: National Army
