Petro's call for change in Colombia rattles armed forces
June 14, 2022
1:03 AM CDT
Last Updated 24 min ago
By Luis Jaime Acosta
5 minute read
BOGOTA, June 14 (Reuters) - Members of Colombia's armed forces - especially its police - are worried they will face significant changes if leftist candidate Gustavo Petro wins the presidency this month, a dozen active and retired officials told Reuters.
The Colombian military has fought guerrilla movements for decades and has a longstanding role in the U.S. drug war. Major changes would potentially affect international cooperation against cocaine production, said active military officials who declined to be named because they were not authorized to speak on elections.
Colombia is set to spend 12% of its 2022 budget - equivalent to $11 billion - on defense, the second-highest in Latin America after much larger Brazil.
Petro, a critic of the military establishment and ex-member of the M-19 guerrillas, has pledged service members accused of human rights violations will stand trial in regular courts rather than the military ones that have traditionally doled out lighter sentences.
More:
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/petros-call-change-colombia-rattles-armed-forces-2022-06-14/
