The Paraguayan National Police expressed solidarity this Thursday with its Colombian counterpart and condemned “the cowardly actions of criminal organizations” in that country, which have killed 36 police officers so far this year.
Source: EFE
In a statement released on Twitter, the Paraguayan institution expressed its solidarity “in the face of such despicable events” and presented its condolences to the “sister” Colombian National Police and the “relatives of the fallen martyrs.”
“In the person of the director general of the National Police of Colombia, General Jorge Luis Vargas Valencia, receive our full and unconditional support,” said the commander of the Paraguayan Police, Gilberto Fleitas.
This Thursday, the Colombian security forces paid tribute with masses and commemorations throughout the country to the 36 policemen who have been assassinated so far this year after the resurgence by some armed groups of the so-called “pistol plan”, which consists of in the payment of rewards in exchange for the murder of uniformed men.
More than a third of the 36 murders of police officers have been committed in July alone, according to the balance of the institution, due to the “pistol plan”, especially by the Clan del Golfo, the largest criminal gang in that country.
According to the Colombian Defense Minister, Diego Molano, the Clan del Golfo and other armed groups, such as the guerrillas of the National Liberation Army (ELN) or the FARC dissidents, “have wanted to put a price on the lives of the heroes, in order to position themselves politically for a negotiation”.
Last week, the Clan del Golfo released a proposal for a ceasefire conditional on its members not going to jail, addressed to the elected president, Gustavo Petro, who will take office in 10 days.
