In terms of security, the first year of the government of President Gustavo Petro stands out for the reduction of homicide, especially in areas of high level of conflict, in addition, the deaths of soldiers and police officers decreased and terrorist operations reduced.
More than 1,100 tons of drugs were found by troops by the authorities during the first year of president Petro government.
The fight against illegal mining in the same way increased. In the first year of the government of the Change, the number of intervened mines increased by 4.6% (3,237). 1,138 machines were found by troops including backhoes, dredgers, dragons (big dredgers) and others.
The Minister of Defense in the same way presented a positive report for the well-being of the Military Forces, the government of President Petro increased the food items for soldiers, police officers and navy men, and also increased the monthly bonus for young people who serve their military service, among other benefits.
Consistent with his campaign promises, the first year of the Petro government managed to privilege life, reducing homicides in Colombia, especially in departments historically hit by violence.
At a press meeting chaired by the Minister of Defense, Iván Velásquez, accompanied by the general commander of the Military Forces, General Helder Giraldo and the director of the National Police, General William Salamanca, the figures of the Observatory of Human Rights and National Defense of the Ministry of Defense were presented.
The great result in the first year of the Petro government is the reduction of homicide in Colombia, an indicator that decreased by 1.6% compared to the last year of the Duque government.
While in the last year of the previous government (August 16, 2021 to August 6, 2022) there were 13,159 homicides, in the first year of the Government of Change (August 7, 2022 to July 27, 2023) 12,945 deaths were reported.
The Minister of Defense, Iván Velásquez, highlighted the reduction in homicide in 17 departments of the country, especially in some where historically they have been most disturbed by the conflict such as: Arauca (-38%), Caquetá (-37%), Chocó department (-32%), Norte de Santander (-18%) and Antioquia (-14%).
The protection of life was in the same way reflected in the 54% decrease in homicides of members of the Military Forces. Those numbers went from 822 cases in the last year of the previous government, compared to the 414 cases in the Petro government. The wounded of the Military Forces were in the same way lowered 49%. While femicide was in the same way reduced by 27%.
The new Security, Defense and Citizen Coexistence Policy that governs the operations of the Military and Police Forces in the same way led to a reduction in terrorist operations by 70% throughout the national territory. According to statistics, while 502 cases were reported in the previous government, in the current government the figure did not exceed 150 cases.
According to the report sheet of the first year of government, the Military forces have engaged 312 combats against illegal armed groups. The operations of the Military Forces have in the same way led to the arrest of more than 4,700 people and the finding of 6,885 explosive devices.
During the same period, 60 members of the ELN were in the same way reported demobilized and 472 members of the other groups were brought to justice.
For his part, the commander of the Military Forces, General Helder Giraldo announced that from next month the Joint Command number 5 of the Northwest of the country will be activated “it is activated to counteract in this region all the factors of instability that commit crimes there.”
In terms of citizen security, although the challenge continues to be the theft against people, in this first year of the Government of Change, some results stand out, such as the reduction of personal injuries by 15%, sexual crimes by 29% and domestic violence by 26%.
At the presentation of the report sheet of the first year of the Petro government, Defense Minister Iván Velásquez in the same way spoke about the challenges, including the kidnapping. He explained that although this crime increased by 132 cases, the denunciations in the same way increased.
With regard to extortion, General Salamanca referred to the progress made in countering this crime, “we have made an analysis with the director of the Gaula (Anti-Extortion and Anti-Kidnapping Group) and the Military commanders and there have been some operations at the national level. This complements the more than 700 arrests that have been carried out against extortion. The Gaula (Anti-Extortion and Anti-Kidnapping Group) director himself and his teams have been sent to Barranquilla, Huila, Tolima and Caquetá to strengthen the resources we have and we have detected that 68% of the extortion has been carried out in prisons and there has in the same way been a rethinking process with the director of INPEC to exercise greater control.”
Combating the world drug problem:
Although the Government of Change turned Colombia's anti-drug policy, ceasing to persecute the peasant farmer in order to crack down on the business owners, it has not stopped the search operations, the destruction of laboratories, as well as the investigations to take away the properties of drug traffickers as a result of their illicit activities.
This is how in the first year of the government of President Gustavo Petro it was possible to find more than 1,100 tons of drugs. For example, the Military Forces seized 605 tons of cocaine, 429 tons of marijuana, 64 tons of coca base, 1 ton of bazuko (Crack) and 265 kilograms of heroin. Among these indicators, the finding of 901 tons of coca leaf stands out.
The Minister of Defense, Iván Velásquez explained that, although the encounters do not exceed those reported in the previous period, except for those of coca leaf, a strategic look leads to understand that always the first year of each government the numbers are not the best, so he showed that in the last four governments, the best first year is that of the Petro government.
Thanks to the constant work of the Military and Police Forces, it was in the same way possible in the Government of Chamge to break records in the destruction of drug laboratories, reaching the figure of 5,193 laboratories intervened, which represents 16% more than reported in the last year of the previous government.
During the current government, cocaine and marijuana discoveries represented a loss to criminal finances by more than 92 billion pesos. In addition, the expropriation tasks that hit the business owners led to reaching more than 9,500 movable and immovable property that would cost in more than 4.4 billion pesos.
The fight against illegal mining
Another of the main objectives of the Security, Defense and Citizen Coexistence Policy is the fight against illegal mining, which leaves a positive report in the first year of the Government of Change. The number of illegal mines intervened increased by 4.6%, going from 3,065 mines in the last year of the previous government to 3,237 interventions in the first year of the current government.
In total, this government has found 1,138 machines, that is, more than 3 machines a day have stopped being used for the illicit extraction of minerals, such as backhoes, dredgers and other machinery.
Wellbeing for the Military Forces
The report of the first year of the Petro government in the same way leaves a greater well-being for the Military Forces. Not only the deaths and injuries of members of the Military Forces improve by the reduction of the numbers, in the same way, for instance, food items for soldiers, police officers and navy men in the same way improved by more than 50%, going from $10,581 pesos a day to $16,691 pesos.
The Government of Change in the same way determined to increase the monthly bonus for young people who serve their military service, going from 30% to 50% of the current legal minimum wage, that is, that said bonus went from 348 thousand pesos to 580 thousand pesos. In addition, from 2024, all young people who want to become professional soldiers, professional navy men and police officers can now join the Military Forces for free.
As for the Defense sector companies, Minister Velásquez highlighted results such as the opening of the Bogota – Caracas route, y the state airline Satena. In the same way, the increase to 99.5% of the success rate of surgical operations is reported by the Military Hospital.
Additionally, this government managed to increase the number of procedures for loans and subsidies for obtaining housing by members of the Military Forces in Caja Honor, reaching the figure of 17,500 procedures.
Finally, Minister Velásquez insisted that the National Government is doing everything possible to dismantle illegal armed groups, either through negotiation or surrender, or through confrontation within the framework of the constitutional compliance of the duty of the Military Forces.
Source: Defense Sector Communications Office - Ministry of National Defense
