The National Association of Businessmen (Andi), the Cali Chamber of Commerce, Invest Pacific, ProPacífico, the Inter-Union Committee of the Valley (CIEV) and the Vallecaucana Action Unit joined together to raise a petition: “In the face of the escalation of violence that has been registering in the Colombian southwest, we reject these events that demand forceful attention from the National Government and other authorities.”
According to the criteria of
The governor of Valle del Cauca, Dilian Francisca Toro, said: “Only by working together will we defeat crime! All sectors and forces in Valle del Cauca are articulated with that purpose; but to achieve this we need the strong support of the National Government.”
‘Security caravans’, in Jamundí.
Photo:Santiago Saldarriaga Quintero
The president added: “Together with the private sector represented by the president of the Board of Directors of the Inter-Union Committee of the Valley, we call on President Gustavo Petro to attend to the people of Valle del Cauca and the security problems that the department is experiencing; that we sit down in a space for dialogue with unions, Public Forces and representatives of the civil sector to address the violence that the department is experiencing.”
He added: “We cannot naturalize violence in our territory; from Valle del Cauca we are ready and committed to work together on this comprehensive security plan for the southwest.”
Attack in Jamundí with a motorcycle bomb, on June 12. He recalled the attack of May 20.
Photo:Santiago Saldarriaga / EL TIEMPO
The call was also made by the president of the board of directors of the Inter-Union Committee of the Valley (CIEV) and president of AsocañaClaudia Calero, who said that the Valley needs a different look to surround the department, asking the National Government to contain insecurity in the region and pointed out that the unions are asking President Gustavo Petro for a hearing, a request from 34 unions of said committee .
“ProPacific and other private sector entities we join the call of our local entities to the national government, what is happening in terms of security is very serious in southwestern Colombia, we need to work together; “We need more strength, more intelligence, more work in the territory on prevention issues, we all need to join together so that what is happening in Jamundí and in southwestern Colombia stops now,” stated the executive director of the entity, María Isabel Ulloa.
Attack in Jamundí, on June 12, 2024.
Photo:Private file
The president of the Cali Chamber of Commerce, Luis Fernando Pérez, He specified: “We need the National Government to make an even greater and forceful effort for its support for the security of Valle del Cauca, this has been the call that the Governor has made and that from the unions, the private sector, we want to replicate so that “Together we can face this situation and the support that our military and police forces need to be able to contain the criminals and terrorists who want to take over Jamundí.”
The importance of a comprehensive intervention was highlighted by the director of the Vallecaucana Action Unit, María Isabel Alvarado, with actions “that allow us to guarantee security, public order and the rights of all citizens in the face of the escalation of violence that we are experiencing.” She noted: “We stand in solidarity with all the victims and their families during these difficult times.”
Mayor of Cali points out 5 actions that the Government should take
The mayor of Cali, Alejandro Eder, He asked Petro to make five decisions regarding the security of the city and the region.
1. The offensive strategy for territorial control that involves increasing the force and actions against illegal mining and drug trafficking.
2. Allocate the necessary resources to increase capabilities in Intelligence and
judicial investigation for the deployment of the Military Forces and the Police.
3. Coordination of work between civil society, businessmen, farmers, social leaders, unions, and political leaders to prevent the region from embarking on a wave of violence led by criminals.
4. Develop a joint and comprehensive strategy against the recruitment of children and adolescents, and their frontal rejection of this practice that violates minors and communities.
5. The prioritization of resources to increase penitentiary capacity in the department and additional resources from the National Fund for Citizen Security and Coexistence (FONSECON) for investment in the municipalities of the metropolitan area.
CAROLINA BOHÓRQUEZ
EL TIEMPO correspondent
Cali
