In his first act as Minister of National Defense, Juan Carlos Pinzón announced a series of measures directed toward strengthening the Armed Forces, improving citizen security, and guaranteeing the electoral process on October 30.
In his first act as Minister of National Defense, Juan Carlos Pinzón announced a series of measures directed toward strengthening the Armed Forces, improving citizen security, and guaranteeing the electoral process on October 30.
The minister announced that the first measure consists in creating a mission model that can enable each branch of the Armed Forces to maximize its capabilities, for the purpose of improving its efficiency and effectiveness. “We’ve decided, together with the commandants, to create a group taken from inside the Armed Forces, with several of the most distinguished men, to conduct a process of strategic review.”
Pinzón explained that, with the contributions and experience of uniformed personnel in active service and honorably retired, and taking some international examples as a point of reference, the group will seek to formulate a mission model that can enable the strengthening of Colombian Government forces.
The defense minister also announced that, following a detailed analysis of the Democracy Plan, it was decided to implement special security measures for the 67 municipalities at critical electoral risk, starting this week.
“The elections are our priority; it’s an issue that’s less than two months distant, and we have to guarantee that this happens.” And he added, “Yesterday in Putumayo, a message appeared saying that the armed groups are not going to permit the elections there, that they’re causing terror, but I want to tell them that it’s our duty to guarantee these elections, and that as a consequence, there will be elections in Putumayo.”
The high-ranking official also revealed the creation of an international mission, sponsored by the Inter-American Development Bank, which will have the function of advising the minister on strengthening citizen security.
“We’re going to set to work on that front very quickly. We’re going to seek the knowledge of our police, who are an example to the world, but we’re also going to seek the knowledge of mayors and governors, who have to live with that problem on an ongoing basis.”
Finally, Defense Minister Juan Carlos Pinzón affirmed that resources coming from property taxes will be increased, in order to be able to guarantee the increase in National Police personnel, in mobility and intelligence capabilities, and in the Consolidation Plan.