2023-04-16 08:28:35
The appointment of General Salamanca generated controversy. But the truth is that Salamanca has all the conditions to lead the reconstruction process that the Police need. Contrary to what many have said, he is an institutional man and a democrat, not an infiltrated communist. He is respected within the Police and everyone recognizes his fight against corruption. Also, he has character. Now that he’s achieved the highest possible honor in his career, he’ll have even less incentive to shut up. So Petro and Velásquez are wrong if they named Salamanca with the conviction that he would be a puppet.
Now, the new director of the Police is going to have a greater challenge than any of his predecessors. One, because he will have to do the task without having a group of trained and experienced generals to support him. He will have to do it by taking those who remain by the hand.
Two, because the deterioration in security is rapid and palpable. Of all the problems, the worst is drug trafficking. There are more drug crops than ever in history and all violent groups, without exception, are up to their necks in the business. To top it all off, the government has not only given up fighting drug traffickers in depth, but also makes decisions, one after the other, that strengthen them. With these groups strengthened, the dynamics of the conflict worsen and every day there are more confrontations between them for the control of territories, routes and laboratories.
To top it off, three, it will not have the support of the Government to fulfill its functions. In fact, often the Casa de Nariño and the Ministry of Defense will be an obstacle that must be dealt with. Initially, it will not have air support. And, judging by Petro’s astonishing award to the policemen kidnapped in Caguan, they are going to continue the orders at the highest level so that the uniformed officers do not defend themselves.
Consequently, four, will have to deal with a demoralized staff and a strong incentive for paralysis, not to operate, and, worse, as has been happening, to request voluntary retirement even without meeting requirements for early pension. Fewer managers, less staff, less experience and many disincentives.
Fifth, “total peace” is gibberish, an unworkable botch that jumps from improvisation to improvisation and ignores the experience and knowledge acquired over decades, and yet defines the entire security agenda of the Government or, better, the absence of it, and that sets the parameters of the performance of the Public Force.
And that brings us to the last point: Salamanca will have to walk a fragile and dangerous line, always on the edge of the abyss, one in which it will have to deal with a highly ideologized and champish government and, at the same time, comply with its constitutional and legal obligations. and make citizens feel that they have a reliable and efficient Police that will protect their life, integrity, liberty and assets.
#fragile #dangerous #line