In compliance with the Plan of Operations "Almirante Padilla", the Navy of Colombia through the Pacific Naval Force maintains operations in the municipality of Juradó – Chocó, in a sustained manner, to close the drug trafficking routes that are disputed by the Organized Armed Groups ELN and "Clan del Golfo", whose situation has generated in recent days, armed clashes between these two groups, seeking to generate new spaces for their routes of illicit financing, product of drug trafficking.
The indigenous communities of El Cedral sector, municipality of Juradó, have denounced these confrontations. According to the leaders of the indigenous councils, around 600 indigenous people of the communities of El Cedral, Pichindé, Las Lomas, El Bongo and Buenavista, would have moved to the indigenous community of Dos Bocas, to prevent being harmed by these armed confrontations.
The Command of the Marine Infantry Brigade No.2, sent additional military units of the Marine Infantry Battalion No.21 and carried out Checkpoints in the municipality of Juradó, in order to have command and direct control on the troops that have been sent to the area with the support of the Colombian Air Force, to increase the strength of the force and consolidate the presence of the Marine Infantry, which has been carrying outing permanent operations against these organized armed groups.
Vice Admiral Antonio José Martínez Olmos, Commander of the Pacific Naval Force conducts checkpoint of the Pacific Naval Force in Bahía Solano, convened an Extraordinary Security Council in Juradó, with the presence of the Governor of the department of Chocó and local authorities, to assess the situation and possible effects on communities; in the same way, the actions that will be taken to restore their rights and stabilize the situation of law and order.
It should be noted that since the end of August 2018, the Colombian Navy is carrying out Operation "Armadura" in the area to close the drug trafficking routes that are disputed by these two organized armed groups of the ELN and the "Clan del Golfo". Comprehensive Action activities, have been made in order to protect the communities and provide access to basic services for the population that have been impacted. They have also contributed to the fulfillment of the recommendations issued through the early warning No.069 of 2018 by the Ombudsman's Office, for the general area of the municipality of Juradó - Chocó. In the exercise of this significant operational work, important results have been obtained, including the death in development of operations of two GAO members, the surrender to justice of seven of its members, the finding of 16 rifles and revolvers, 1391 cartridges different calibers and 253 kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride. In addition, it has reinforced the number of military units in the sector El Cedral, following denunciations from indigenous communities about possible armed clashes to be conducted by these two outlaw groups.
