The National Government reorganized the Military Forceswhich included the creation of four rapid deployment forces, seeking better results in the fight against crime and offering greater protection to the civilian population in the country.
“This new organization of the Military Forces aims to increase capabilities and provide security to the population.“said the Minister of Defense, Iván Velásquezat a press conference in Bogotá.
The head of that portfolio also assured that “This organizational system that is adopted does not weaken the Military Forces“It has no political motivation and is intended to modernize, as it has done on other occasions, the vision to combat crime”that also changes“.
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Likewise, he added that the priority is to maintain control of the territory and to do so he recalled that for a few months A plan is developed to incorporate 11,000 soldiers into the Army, 2,300 into the Navy and 2,300 into the Colombian Air Force, known as ‘Plan 16,000’..
Minister Velásquez explained that the Joint Commands and Joint Task Forces From now on, they will carry out direct operations whose responsibility will fall to the commanders of each Force (Army, Navy and Air Force).
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He delved into that Rapid Deployment Force (Fudra)which was created in December 1999 as part of a modernization process of the Army in order to carry out counterinsurgency and anti-terrorist operations, There will be more because currently there are four and six more will be activated, as well as two joint task forces will also be transformed into those bodies.
Each Fudra has 2,800 men who from now on will be able to operate on “any target in the country“explained the Commander of the Military Forces, Admiral Francisco Cubides.
Minister Velásquez insisted that this reorganization seeks to articulate more “operations between the forces: Army, Navy and Air Force, which guarantees the participation of the capabilities of each one to face threats and subtract the capacity of these threats“.
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“The Military Forces are not weakened, they are strengthened; joint intelligence is maintained and the offensive is maintained throughout the national territory“concluded Admiral Cubides, who assured that no component of the Armed Forces is eliminated, although they can change their name but always seeking to combat crime.
The Government’s decision has been criticized by former Defense Ministers such as Juan Carlos Pinzón, who noted in his X account that “deactivate the joint work of the FF. AA. It is a sign of incapacity of the State and indicates that the FF. MM. and the Police today do not have enough equipment or men or adequate operational capacity to protect Colombians and guarantee the rule of law.“.
EFE