After several hours of meeting, the first security council between the Mayor’s Office of Bogotá and the new Government ended, a meeting in which Mayor Claudia López presented seven proposals to President Gustavo Petro for improve the security of the capital.
“The first of these proposals is the strengthening intelligence units, reinforcing joint social investment, strengthening the Houses of Justicecarry out the two bills to regulate prison powers, extend the restorative justice model, these are some of the proposals that we have proposed,” explained Mayor Claudia López.
In context: Overwhelmed insecurity in Bogotá: More than 500 crimes are committed every day
Regarding the prison issue, López maintained that: “we do not want prison for the peasants who grow coca or for the young people that what they have is a mental problem due to the consumption of psychoactive substances”.
After the first Human Security Council, the mayor @ClaudiaLopez summarizes the seven concrete measures that are proposed to the government of the president @petrogustavosome will be of immediate implementation and others will be studied by the cabinet of the Government.
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— Bogota Mayor’s Office (@Bogota) September 1, 2022
Lopez also added that Bogotá is proof that social justice does improve security and coexistence so it should strengthen social investment, improve job offers and reduce poverty.
For its part, President Gustavo Petro agreed with the mayor on the need to improve social conditions to reduce crime rates and noted that “If poverty goes down, crime goes down.” In this sense, he insisted on his Government’s proposal to implement ‘restorative justice’ and stressed that the criminalization approach should be changed for simple crimes, strengthen the intelligence capabilities of the Police and establish priorities.
“We are going to meet with difficulties the objective of increasing the number of police forces in Bogotá, needed across the country I have asked the Police to take less care of the Government and more of the citizens for personal liberalization and dedicate it to that end,” said the president.
The president also proposed a more effective disarmament plan in which Special permits to carry weapons would be eliminated.
On the other hand, he indicated that the Prosecutor’s Office requested the expansion of its staff for which he announced that once attorney Margarita Cabello finishes her term, part of the staff of the Attorney General’s Office could go on to support the work of the Attorney General’s Office.
The president also referred to the problem of drug trafficking and corruption, for which intelligence and counterintelligence operations will be strengthened.
“For deactivate the gear of drug trafficking and money laundering, we have to emphasize the articulation between the intelligence bodies. Because the great operations of Money laundering is generally carried out with State officials”pointed out the president.
Petro highlighted the progress that Bogotá has had in the decrease in homicides during the last 30 years, “Bogotá is about to leave behind the world of violent cities and move on to that of cities in a real process of peace, is about to reach a homicide rate of 10 per 100 thousand inhabitants. The goal this year is 11 or 12 (…) a city that is currently the least violent in Colombia,” the president stressed.
More information: Security council between Petro and Claudia López for overflowing insecurity in Bogotá
Regarding the current security situation, Mayor Claudia López explained that, “In Bogotá, no criminal group or multi-crime gang has territorial control, In Bogotá we don’t have to ask any band for permission to do investment or social work”.
Likewise, he highlighted the importance of change of approach to security and justice policy at the national level“I welcome the change in focus from public order to effective protection of citizens.”
