Colombian President Gustavo Petro set a new course for the country’s Armed Forces at a ceremony in Bogotá on Sunday (21). Facing the new military high command, he said the troops must prepare to be a “peace army” after decades of internal conflict.
A former guerrilla fighter, the country’s first left-wing leader said the troops need to change the concept of war now that he has chosen to dialogue with the ELN (National Liberation Army), considered the last recognized guerrilla, and propose agreements with the other groups. to stop the violence in exchange for criminal benefits.
He stressed that his biggest challenge is to build the “fundamental pillars of a peace that becomes definitive”, after what he called “permanent violence” and “perpetual war”.
Petro appointed on 12 August a new summit of the Armed Forces. As a result, he anticipated the retirement of about 30 army and police generals in an unprecedented way.
At Saturday’s event, the president was recognized as commander-in-chief of 228,000 soldiers and 172,000 police – together they form the largest Armed Forces on the continent after Brazil.
The Colombian president also highlighted that the future “army of peace” will have to deal with the “essential function of defending national sovereignty” in the face of threats such as organized crime linked to drug trafficking.
In this sense, he once again highlighted the failure of the current fight against drugs: “As long as a wrong policy against drugs is maintained, Colombians will continue to kill each other,” he said, adding the need to press for global changes in dealing with the issue.
For decades, the United States has committed millions of dollars in training and equipment against drug trafficking and rebel groups.
In his speech to the military, Petro also invited them to take care of the Amazon Forest in the face of the advance of deforestation and called on them to develop industry in the areas of air and river transport.
