According to the authorities, the first phase of the Cauca mission, where military and police actions will be concentrated, are the Micay Canyon, which includes the municipalities of Argelia, El Tambo, López de Micay, Guapi, Timbiquí and Santander de Quilichao in the department of Cauca. Furthermore, as a result of the advance of terrorists in northern Cauca, they also decided to include the municipality of Jamundí.
“With the Central General Staff we do not have any conversation table in Cauca, nor in Nariño, nor in Valle del Cauca. The Central General Staff in these three departments is the military combat and illicit economies. This Cauca mission aims to advance territorial control and consolidate progress through the transformation of the territory’s economies, improving the conditions of the populations,” said the Minister of Defense, Iván Velásquez, about the Cauca mission.
The central objectives of the new strategy of the Ministry of Defense, the FFMM and the Police to recover territorial control of the department of Caucaconsists of countering the illicit economies of illegal armed groups, mainly the FARC dissidents, especially those associated with drug trafficking, illicit mineral extraction and extortion.
In addition, mechanisms will be articulated for the protection of communities, their leaders and institutions.ones, but above all prevent the involvement of boys, girls, adolescents and young people in organized armed groups and organized criminal groups.
“We are going to transition to illicit economies in rural areas and areas of special environmental importance in accordance, through productive chains. We are also going to strengthen environmental care of territories affected by the illicit drug economy,” added the Minister of Defense from the Casa de la Moneda Popayán convention center.
