Colombian government's anti-crime operation likely to gradually reduce violence in major cities in three-month outlook

IHS Jane's Intelligence Weekly

16 October 2014

   

EVENT

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos on 15 October launched a 90-day security plan that aims to reduce murders, theft, smuggling, micro-drug trafficking, micro-extortion rackets, and illegal mining.

Men are detained at a children's playground in a public park in Bogotá, Colombia, on 11 September. The park was used due to overcrowding of detention centres. (PA)

Geographically, it will concentrate on 11 urban areas comprising the capital Bogotá; Colombia's second and third largest cities, Medellín and Cali; and regional capitals Barranquila, Bucramanga, Cúcuta, Ibagué, Neiva, Pasto, Pereira, and Villavicencio. The operation aims to dismantle 102 gangs and will deploy an additional 1,000 police officers and concentrate on high crime areas such as Ciudad Bolívar in Bogotá and Aguablanca in Cali. According to the authorities, approximately 82% of criminal activity in Colombia takes place in the 11 cities mentioned.