In the commemoration of the National Hero's Day, 12 men and women of the Military Forces accompanied by their families received a recognition for their work, by the Minister of Defense and Commanders of the Military and Police Forces.
Minister Velásquez reminded that the National Government has worked to improve the living conditions of the members of the Military Forces, improving for example their food, house subsidies.
“With or without a cease-fire, the fulfillment of the responsibility that each one, each one of the members of the Military Forces assumes, must continue to be carried out,” the head of the defense ministry said.
“As gratitude for their constant sacrifice, we have to generate spaces of much better living conditions for each member of the Military Forces.” This was stated by the Minister of Defense, Iván Velásquez in his speech during the commemoration ceremony of the Day of the Hero of the Nation and Families held in Bogotá.
According to the minister, the Military Forces deserve the congratulations of Colombian society as a whole, because their specialized operation that has led to from preserving natural resources, rescuing animal specimens in danger of extinction to protecting the lives of Colombians.
"During this government, we have seen the sacrifice of 69 lives of soldiers and police officers, 17% fewer of them reported in the first year of the previous government; it could be 70% less, but in any case, every death of a servant of the Homeland is a loss that hurts us and hurts society as a whole,” the Minister said.
He in the same way acknowledged that in these months in his position he has gotten closer to the military and police world, to an operation that generates joys and satisfactions. But it has in the same way helped him to approach the pain of what it means to lose a life in combat or a loss out of combat, so he recalled the reprehensible operation of illegal armed organizations that murdered members of the Military Forces in defenseless circumstances last July 5.
In the middle of his speech, Minister Velásquez, not only recognized the work of each soldier and policeman for the Colombian territory, but in the same way the importance of what the new Wellbeing Policy for the Military Forces means for them, “we are always examining what more we can do, what we have to do so that the life of each soldier and policeman in the same way goes in more favorable conditions of existence, from increasing food items to work to raise a decent house for them.”
At the same time, the minister announced that the monthly bonus received by people who serve military service will be increased to 50% of the minimum wage. In addition, he announced that “We are in the same way going to present a Bill in this legislature that leads us to pay up to a minimum wage as a bonus,” Minister Velásquez said.
The Minister in the same way reiterated his call to continue working for the protection of Colombians regardless of the progress made in the peace processes, assuring that the role of the Military Forces is fundamental for the success of these processes, because with the pressure of the Military Forces, illegal organizations will have a warning or will go for an agreed peace or they will be dismantled.
"There are peace processes, there are ceasefires, but it cannot lead to the inactivity of the Military Forces, it cannot lead to the breach of their constitutional and legal responsibilities,” the Minister highlighted.
Finally, Velásquez took advantage of his speech to invite the Military Forces and society to continue building a country in which not only democracy is strengthened, but in the same way respect for life and so Colombia will be, in the future, a world power of life.
Source: Defense Sector Communications Office - Ministry of National Defense
