This week, the first of 315 future bodyguards will begin training at the guerrilla training facility in Facatativa, Cundinamarca. However these are not your normal trainees, they are the first group of reincorporated FARC members, and the retraining is part of Colombia’s landmark treaty with the FARC terrorist organization.
According to the Director of the Protection Unit, all 315 members that will have to pass technical and physical tests.
“This process is going to last around 45 or 60 days” said Diego Mora, Director of the National Protection Unit.
The training is not without controversy, as some have likened the training to putting arms in the hands of convicted criminals. Citizen groups have gone to court to challenge the law and have it declared unconstitutional, stripping the budget. However Mora attempted to answer their concerns.
“As a whole, the Special Protection Program law has not been affected, it is still up and running. It remains in the hands of the courts and believe that within a month, or month and a half tops, this law will be receive final approval.”
Still, some Facatativa citizens insisted that a group training in the area would chaos and problems. Mora denied it.
“There was a night shooting practice, but no FARC member was participating”, he indicated.
Incredibly, the mayor of Facatativa said that he didn´t know anything about the training program. The government secretary in Facatativa concurred.
“We created a document that was delivered to the Interior Minister so he would provide us with more detailed information about what´s going on in Pueblo Viejo within the walls of this academy” said Diego Zuleta, Government Secretary of Facatativa.
