2024-07-23 05:19:07
Defense Minister Iván Velásquez categorically denied allegations that the government is financing the National Liberation Army (ELN).
These statements came after accusations by Olmedo López, who claimed that the Petro government, through the National Disaster Risk Management Unit (UNGRD), was contracting with the illegal armed group.
At a press conference, Velásquez, accompanied by the military leadership, said that “There is no provision, intention or instruction from the Government related to the financing of any illegal armed group.«. He also urged the Attorney General’s Office to give a quick response to the investigation into the corruption scandal at UNGRD, emphasizing that a prompt resolution would be beneficial for the country.
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“The government is not financing the ELN,” said Velásquez during the presentation of the ‘Fuerza Innovación’ initiative and the Science, Technology and Innovation Policy for the sector, held in Bogotá.
Regarding the ELN flag found on a bridge in the south of Bogotá, Velásquez explained that these actions are common among illegal armed groups to intimidate the population and simulate a presence in territories where they do not actually have one. “It is more of a propaganda campaign to be noticed in a space without implying a presence or effective action in a territory,” he added.
The Minister of Defense also stressed the importance of a prompt response from the Attorney General’s Office. to clarify the events that occurred at the National Disaster Risk Management Unit“The quicker the response, the better for the country,” Velásquez concluded.
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