Within the framework of the national and international meeting XVII Encuentro Nacional e Internacional del Frente de Seguridad Empresarial led by the Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Interpol (DIJIN), the Attorney General, Francisco Barbosa Delgado, highlighted that the institutional coordination has allowed to fight the crime in a more effective way in the country.

“We are sure that with the technical discussions, with a joint work with public institutions, with a territorial work like we are currently carrying out, with the strengthening of the internal governance at the Office of the Attorney General (…), we will improve the status of this country” said the Attorney General, Francisco Barbosa.

The Attorney General stated that there are significant challenges when it comes to interinstitutional coordination, such as strengthening the fight against FARC dissents in the departments of Cauca and Nariño, where there are challenges regarding these criminal organizations.

He stressed that even though the entity’s functions are not the same as a security body, it has worked with the police and the institutions that perform this function to produce results for citizens.

“We reaffirm the willingness to continue working with the National Police, companies and the industrial sector of this country. We must remind Colombian citizens that small, medium and large companies are the engines of social progress in the country, they keep the economy afloat and contribute to the survival of thousands of families and millions of citizens (…) The Attorney General’s Office and the Prosecutor do not bow to crime and to those attempts to destabilize the country by some sectors”, said the Attorney General.

Likewise, he invited the business associations to join the technical discussion that are carried out by the Attorney General´s Office to combat issues of great relevance to the country, such as corruption.

“The Office of the Attorney General is also receptive to hold meetings with the business sectors and to be able to prioritize cases which are also relevant to you. This will create an atmosphere of trust and of greater tranquility, greater investigative promptness in our institution, and greater coordination”, he said.

He also stated that this coordination includes alliances in regional matters with different prosecutors of the continent since the criminal corridors of criminals do not have borders and everyone’s work is needed.

Balance of the actions carried out by the Office of the Attorney General

In his speech, the Attorney General stressed the advances that have been achieved during this administration, thanks to joint work with institutions such as the Police, thanks to itinerancy, the concentration of activities and articulation strategy.

“This is the Attorney General´s Office for the territories (…) for the understanding of criminal phenomena, which can also understand that each place of the national territory has a differential component in the framework of criminality and thus we have been able during this administration to increase the rates of clarification in many aspects”, he stated.

He highlighted that the Office managed to bring to justice, accuse, indict and obtain detention measures against more than 200 people linked to groups that have affected public safety with vandalism in the midst of the violent protests in the country.

He also highlighted the results obtained regarding the clarification of crimes such as those against human rights defenders. When he took office, the percentage was 52 and currently, the rate reached 67 percent. “Concerning collective homicides, it was 39 percent of clarification and now it is 74 percent. Concerning femicides, it was 80 percent and now 98 percent”, said the Attorney General.

Regarding drug trafficking, the Attorney General mentioned the seizure of more than 750 tons of narcotics, such as cocaine hydrochloride and marijuana between February 2020 and September 2021.  About corruption, some accusations and detention measures were obtained before the Supreme Court of Justice against 7 current governors. Also, 35 former governors were prosecuted.