President Abelardo De La Espriella announced this Sunday, September 13, that his government will resort to available legal mechanisms to contest recent judicial decisions that have established limits on offensive aerial operations against armed structures and the aerial spraying of illicit crops in Putumayo.
During his presidential address, the leader ensured that the decisions of the judges will be respected and current orders will be complied with. However, he maintained that this does not prevent the Executive from using the tools provided for in the Constitution and the law to defend the attributions that, as he explained, correspond to the president of the Republic.
De La Espriella stated that judicial decisions are respected and current orders are complied with, while noting that his administration believes in the separation of powers, judicial independence, and the rule of law.
De La Espriella will defend his powers against judicial limits
The statement occurred amidst two matters that the head of state described as fundamental for national security and the fight against narcoterrorism. The first is related to offensive aerial operations against armed structures when there is information about the possible presence of minors. The second corresponds to a decision that orders the temporary suspension of the pilot plan to carry out aerial spraying with glufosinate, replacing glyphosate.
During his presidential address, Abelardo de la Espriella addressed nine points: budget, social protest, relations with the USA, security, the earthquake, among others. The leader spoke thus when questioning two recent rulings related to temporary suspensions of the bombing of illegal group camps where it is believed there are minors, and the pilot plan to carry out aerial spraying with glufosinate.
De La Espriella expressed respect for the judiciary without replacing the powers of the president of the republic in response to those recent judicial decisions affecting matters fundamental to national security and the fight against narcoterrorism. He insisted that judicial decisions are respected and current orders are complied with, adding that his government firmly believes in the separation of powers, the independence of judges, and the rule of law, but that respecting a judicial decision does not mean renouncing the right to challenge them through the avenues established by the Constitution and the law itself.
“Respect for justice,” says De la Espriella when
President Abelardo De La Espriella announced this Sunday, during an address from Barranquilla, that his Government will use available legal mechanisms to contest recent judicial rulings related to the suspension of bombings in areas where there is the presence of minors and aerial spraying with glufosinate ammonium. The leader ensured that he respects the decisions of the judges and the separation of powers, but maintained that judicial control cannot translate into a substitution of the functions that the Constitution assigns to the Executive.
The head of state pointed out that his Government believes in judicial independence, the separation of powers, and the Rule of Law, but insisted that judicial decisions can be contested through the mechanisms established by the Constitution and the law. One of the central points of the intervention was the decision related to bombings in places where minors may be found. De La Espriella warned that it cannot be allowed for a leader to reach the conclusion that bringing minors to a camp guarantees them immunity from the action of the State.
The President of the Republic explained that judicial control is one thing and substituting the government, the President, or the military command in the operational construction of the State is another. De La Espriella maintained that, especially with paper for anyone, he considers that a measure can determine a profile of competencies that the Constitution explicitly assigned to the president of the republic, noting that while the Constitution is clear, judicial control is one thing and replacing the government, the president, or the military command in the operational construction of the State is quite another.
Government announces appeals against rulings that suspend bombings with
This Saturday, President Abelardo de la Espriella published a video on social networks in which he appears with the director of the National Tax and Customs Directorate (DIAN), Andrés Felipe Velásquez Reyes. In the clip, they announced a series of measures to strengthen the fight against smuggling and criminal groups.
De la Espriella asserted that Colombia has four terrible cancers: corruption, drug trafficking, smuggling, and illegal mining, and vowed to combat them head-on, no matter who falls.
For the moment, the director of the DIAN revealed that in less than a month, the operations carried out resulted in the seizure of nearly 30 billion pesos in contraband and drones from the mafias, which would be used by criminal organizations to attack members of the Public Force. One of the announcements is related to heavy machinery, drone parts, and chemical precursors, as well as the limitation of points enabled for their importation.
Another of the topics referred to by President Abelardo De la Espriella during the presidential address this Sunday, September 13, is about judicial rulings against government measures, such as the prohibition of bombings when the presence of minors is not certain and the aerial fumigation of illicit use crops.
