The Minister of Defense, Luis Lara, accompanied by the military high command, appeared before the occasional commission of amendments of the National Assembly to present the observations to the partial reform of the Constitution related to the participation of the Armed Forces in complementary tasks for combat drug trafficking and organized crime.
The Secretary of State, on several occasions, stressed that the Armed Forces will not carry out police-type operations: the Armed Forces will support the National Police in a complementary manner within the scope of their powers; what the law allows.
Fears, concerns and warnings due to the constitutional reform of the Executive on the participation of FF. AA. in the fight against organized crime
The amendment —he added— seeks not to resort to the state of exception, since this restricts rights. What the amendment seeks is for the President of the Republic to have the power to mobilize the Armed Forces without resorting to the state of emergency, with a prior report submitted by the National Police in which the requirement is stated.
Lara indicated that if the Police express the additional request of the Armed Forces, it is because they have used their capabilities and the threat has not been controlled; then, the head of state has the power to order the support of the Armed Forces.
He insisted that the Armed Forces will not carry out police operations, because they are not legally empowered to do so. They will do so within the scope of their competence.
The official said that the adoption of legislation that grants the broadest guarantees to effectively protect citizens against the threat of drug trafficking and transnational crime is in the hands of the National Assembly, seeking at all times to recover peace.
When answering the concerns of the assembly members regarding the weaknesses of the State to combat drug trafficking and organized crime, Minister Lara said that technology is one of those weaknesses and, therefore, he said that it is in an acquisition process.
Another of the weaknesses are legal resources, since in the country there is a protection action, which should be to protect citizens and not to protect criminals. In addition, he said that the laws should be more rigorous to punish organized crime and drug trafficking, and that judges and prosecutors need to be given greater legal certainty so that they can act.
The head of the Joint Command of the FF. AA., Nelson Proaño, stressed that the fundamental mission of the Armed Forces is the defense of sovereignty and territorial integrity; however, in various situations of insecurity, the Armed Forces support the National Police in their actions in the event that warrants.
He revealed that in 2022, with a state of exception decreed by the President of the Republic, five events were held in various provinces, for which there were nine decrees. Regularly, the support provided by the Armed Forces to the Police is in the control of weapons, ammunition and explosives.
Regarding training in human rights, Proaño pointed out that this is part of the military doctrine and that it is included in training institutes for military personnel, officers and troops, as well as in improvement courses. Armed Forces have a permanent preparation and training in the area of human rights, including virtual courses that complement the studies.
“We can say that as Armed Forces we are prepared and trained to be able to support the National Police in the different activities,” Proaño pointed out.
The occasional commission of amendments, according to the work schedule, will present the first report on the constitutional reform proposal in the second week of February. (YO)
Source: Eluniverso
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