The debate on the motion of censure against the Minister of Defense, Diego Molano, is advanced in the House of Representatives. Opposition parties requested political control over the recent military operation in Puerto Leguizamo (Putumayo), in which 11 people died, and preliminary versions suggest that there were unarmed civilians, including an indigenous governor, a pregnant woman and a minor. Regarding the results, Molano assured that “it was a legitimate operation.”
(In context: Congress was in Puerto Leguízamo, after a military operation)
In total, there were 30 representatives who asked Jennifer Arias (speaker of the Chamber) to set the date for the political control meeting and for the Minister of Defense to explain the military operation on March 24.
The first intervention corresponded to the representative elected by the Alianza Verde party, Katherine Mirandawho recalled that this is the third debate of political control that is made to the minister for possible violations of human rights.
He also assured, according to an investigation carried out by the representative, that only 1 of the 11 people was linked to some type of criminal activity. Said person was linked to the possession of weapons.
Miranda also said that there were 2 more deaths and asked Minister Molano why the list that he presented to the media does not agree with the list of the Prosecutor’s Office. These two people who were not on Molano’s list were natives of Puerto Leguízamo and served in the military.
“I ask Diego Molano, how many murdered men, women, pregnant women and children do you need on your resume for you to assume responsibility and resign from your position?”
Then the representative continued Maria Jose Pizarrowho affirmed that the military operation carried out in Putumayo was “illegitimate, contrary to international humanitarian law and war crimes were committed,” he said.
One of the violations of IHL, according to Pizarro, corresponds to the incorrect identification with the uniforms and symbols of the military forces, since these, according to the representative, would have arrived in the community wearing black clothing and identifying themselves as members of a group illegal.
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