Colombia to keep fighting drugs, criminal groups amid drive for total peace

Record ID: 1692952

  • Title: Colombia to keep fighting drugs, criminal groups amid drive for total peace
  • Date: 10th October 2022
  • Summary: BOGOTA, COLOMBIA (OCTOBER 8, 2022) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (SPANISH) COLOMBIAN DEFENSE MINISTER, IVAN VELASQUEZ, SAYING: “We will not act naively. Just because drug traffickers say they will join the peace process, it doesn't meant that we will stop carrying out the necessary actions to repress drug trafficking.” VARIOUS OF VELAZQUEZ PARTICIPATING IN MILITARY CEREMONY SOLDIERS HOLDING FLOWER ARRANGEMENT DURING CEREMONY VARIOUS OF CEREMONY (SOUNDBITE) (SPANISH) COLOMBIAN DEFENSE MINISTER, IVAN VELASQUEZ, SAYING: “On the contrary, as the president (Colombian President Gustavo Petro) has said, during peace processes the armed forces should be more alert and active, because we will not lower our guard just because a process of this nature begins and stop complying with our constitutional obligations.”
  • Embargoed: 24th October 2022 14:15
  • Keywords: Colombia Defense Minister Drug trafficking ELN Gustavo Petro Ivan Velasquez Narino Peace talks narcotraffic
  • Location: TIBU, NORTE DE SANTANDER, UKNOWN JUNGLE REGION, MONTANITA, NARINO, GUAYABERO, GUAVIARE & BOGOTA, COLOMBIA
  • City: TIBU, NORTE DE SANTANDER, UKNOWN JUNGLE REGION, MONTANITA, NARINO, GUAYABERO, GUAVIARE & BOGOTA, COLOMBIA
  • Country: Colombia
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,South America / Central America
  • Reuters ID: LVA003107009102022RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Colombia's security forces will keep up their offensive against drug traffickers and illegal armed groups, even while President Gustavo Petro pushes for "total peace" in the Andean country, Defense Minister Ivan Velasquez told Reuters.
    Petro, who took office in August as Colombia's first left-wing president, has outlined plans to advance negotiations with guerrilla groups such as the National Liberation Army (ELN) and two dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) who reject a 2016 peace deal with the government.
    Drug traffickers and criminal gangs involved in cocaine production and trafficking could receive benefits such as reduced prison sentences for submitting themselves to justice, sharing details about trafficking routes, and turning over their fortunes.
    Velazquez said both armed forces and national peace would maintain their presence and operations.
    Members of illegal armed groups will face legal consequences if they fail to comply with the conditions of the government's "total peace" plan after they sign up to it, Velasquez said.
    Colombia's armed conflict, which is almost six decades old, has left at least 450,000 dead. All of the armed groups involved in the conflict are connected to drug trafficking, according to security and government sources.
    If drug traffickers accede to the peace deal, Colombia's military will immediately occupy their territories to stop other groups replacing them, Velasquez said.
    Colombia's government is also working on a plan for farmers to voluntarily eradicate crops of coca - the main ingredient in cocaine - for new crops, as well as investment in infrastructure, education and health.
    The United States will continue to be Colombia's chief ally in the fight against drug trafficking, Velasquez said.
    (Production: Herbert Villarraga, Nina Lopez)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2022. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register