EDITORIAL: “Estremecimiento institucional” (El Espectador, CO)

Today’s editorial, which appears in the two most important newspapers of Colombia, is about the case of  General Mauricio Santoyo Velasco. The editorial explains that he has been accused of having a relationship with the so-called Oficina de Envigado, an organized crime group from Antioquia.  Santoyo was a member of the Gaula Police in Medellin between 1996 and 1999, and three years later he worked as the chief of security for former president Alvaro Uribe Vélez.  He was removed by the Attorney’s General Office due to illegal wiretapping to human rights defenders, but the Council of State later discharged the accusations.  However, he got the support of the Uribe’s party and was promoted to General.

According to El Espectador, what it is very disturbing is what some ex-paramilitary leaders and ex-police officials have said about Santoyo’s links with drug traffickers.  It is important that this case be investigated because it is causing too much institutional shudder and destabilizing the establishment.

The editorial states that although some of the accusations sound a little bit unreal, it is a matter of respect with the Police as an institution for them to undertake a serious investigation and find out whether the drug traffickers or the paramilitary had links with a member of the institution.  The investigation, moreover, shouldn’t be done by a foreign judicial system as is happening in this case, but by the Colombian judicial system. (link with the article)