Minister of Defense moved to Caquetá to lead UCP to face law and order situation
On the instructions of the President of the Republic, Gustavo Petro, the Minister of National Defense, Iván Velásquez Gómez, traveled to San Vicente del Caguán to lead a Unified Command Post, UCP, given that there were acts of violence by indigenous protesters at the Los Pozos hamlet.
In a radio interview on the Colombia Hoy program of the Presidency, Minister Velásquez said that the important thing at this moment is for the peasants to release the 78 police officers they have in their possession. "This is a point at which, as the president of the Republic has said, they should proceed immediately to that release."
"Since the events occurred, officials of the Ministries of the Interior, Defense and Mines moved to Los Pozos, came into contact with the peasants, and immediately installed the UCP. We have been in permanent contact not only with officials of the National Government, but in the same way with control agencies and departmental and municipal authorities to know, minute by minute, what has been happening in the region," Velásquez said.
The head of the Ministry of Defense reported that all the detained personnel (78 police officers, the representative of San Vicente del Caguan and Esmeralda Energía contractors) are in good condition, "they have been receiving food, water, they are in acceptable conditions. I hope I can get to them, see them and talk personally."
Regarding the current situation in Los Pozos, the Minister said that the tension "has gone down".
Finally, the Minister said that the group, ordered by the President of the Republic, will have as its mission to provide support for the claim made by the peasants and the rising problem, such as the issue of paving the road to San Vicente del Caguan.
Source: Defense Sector Communications Office - Ministry of National Defense
