Colombian Minister of Defense Summoned for Censure Motion

The Colombian House of Representatives summoned the Minister of Defense, Diego Molano, to a censure motion debate on May 25 for the excessive use of force by the military and the police, in the context of the protests that the country has been experiencing since April 28.

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The information came out through a communiqué from the board of the Colombian lower house, which informed that Molano will have to answer for the militarization of the streets "without fulfilling the requirements in the demonstrations of the last days, facts that could generate consequences that could compromise his functions as minister".

The summoners claim that the public forces have incurred in an omission of their functions of protection of the citizens, exercising abuse of force and actions that do not comply with international humanitarian law.

On May 10, the Chamber's board of directors considered processing the request for a motion of censure "which will deal with matters related to the functions of the Minister of Defense, Dr. Diego Molano Aponte".

"It is necessary for the Congress to use all legal and constitutional mechanisms to face this situation and what must be done immediately is to remove Mr. Molano from the Ministry of Defense", since the country "is living a massacre at the hands of the public forces", according to representative Inti Asprilla.