The document comes just one day after the Ministry of Defense announced that Major General (r) Luis Emilio Cardozo would replace him in his position.
Photo: Mauricio Alvarado Lozada
Through a letter, General Luis Mauricio Ospina said goodbye to the Army command and the government of President Gustavo Petro. In the document he thanks the president for allowing him to be at the head of this institution, recognizing that although there were some mistakes, his commitment and dedication were always on the side of the institution. The document comes just one day after the Ministry of Defense announced that Major General (r) Luis Emilio Cardozo would replace him in his position.
“This command would not have achieved the results that were achieved without the unconditional dedication of the members of the Army General Staff and the unreserved delivery of Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and Civil Personnel of our Force to the development of operations within the framework of Human Rights. Human Rights, International Humanitarian Law, guidelines of the high government and my guidelines,” says the general.
In his letter he acknowledges that as a soldier he was aware that at some point his retirement would come and he values the 39 years he worked within the institution. On the other hand, he reiterated the gratitude he felt towards President Petro for the opportunity to command the Army, “I accept this day with military honor, it is the greatest wealth I have obtained in my years of service,” the general stated.
Finally, he wished Major General Cardozo much success. He stated that he considers that he has solid knowledge about the strategic and operational competencies of the Army and that he is sure that he will have the support of the members of the institution, to be able to comply with the guidelines of the current National Government.
Currently, General Ospina has two cases open in the Attorney General’s Office. The first of them, due to the alleged personal use that the officer made of the intelligence and counterintelligence services, when he allegedly ordered illegal surveillance of his wife’s English teacher. The second process dates back a little over a week and corresponds to the alleged concealment of information related to some plans that the National Liberation Army (ELN) would have to assassinate former Attorney General Francisco Barbosa, General (r) Eduardo Zapateiro and Senator María Fernanda Cabal.
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