Defense Minister Diego Molano reported that the reward for information leading to the location and capture of the perpetrators of the attack in Cali was increased. That left 13 Esmad soldiers wounded. Now the Government offers 350 million pesos, a figure that would be delivered by the Valle del Cauca Government in conjunction with the Mayor’s Office of Santiago de Cali.
“A reward of $ 350 million for anyone who provides information that leads to the capture and prosecution of those responsible for the event that affected the tranquility of Cali, but above all the integrity of 13 police officers and a civilian who has already been discharged ”, were the words of Minister Molano regarding the reward.
However, this would not be the only incentive offered by the Government to capture those responsible for the attack, because following the ELN claimed responsibility for the incident, it was learned that the leader of the Urban War Front, alias El Rolo, would be the one who supposedly is behind the explosion. Currently, the Government offers one billion pesos for information leading to his capture.
“The decision that has been adopted is to establish a reward of $ 1,000 million for alias ‘El Rolo’, leader of this ‘Urban War Front’ that presumably he is behind these terrorist attacks that affected the integrity of our police officers and that have sought to generate terror in the city of Cali “Molano said before the security council in the city, when he gave a press conference in which he announced the rewards, among other security measures for the city.
After an attack in Cali once morest our police, we announced:
– $ 1,000 million reward for alias the ‘Rolo’ leader of the Eln.
– $ 350 million reward for material authors.
– The presence of soldiers is doubled to 684.
– Esmad’s presence is maintained in Puerto Rellena pic.twitter.com/0VKo3w3zFE
– Diego Molano Aponte (@Diego_Molano) January 8, 2022
So then, the minister also stressed that from this January 8 the presence of soldiers from the National Army was going to be doubled, since while the city had 330 uniformed men before the attack, now regarding 354 would be arriving to complete the 684 promised by the portfolio manager; this with the aim of improving security in the capital of Valle del Cauca, which in recent months has been experiencing an increase in acts of violence and common crime.
“Our National Army, which had approximately 350 men in 11 platoons, will increase the presence in the city of Cali with 640 men and a total of 18 platoons, which will be at around 22 control points; and of course the air force will develop aerial surveillance actions in the city, ”Molano reported in this regard.
In addition to this, the public was informed that an Esmad squad would continue to be present in the area known as Puerto Rellena, place where the attack took place on the night of January 7. It should be noted that, since the protests of the National Strike in 2021, this area has been one of the busiest and with the most attacks on both the civilian population and the public force, even some locals know it as Puerto Resistencia.
Other critical points in which the presence of Esmad will be maintained in the city is known as Paso del Comercio, in which there is also an important station of the MIO Mass Transportation System, right on the main road that connects the city with other municipalities of the department and other regions of the country.
“If anyone had any doubts that terrorism was behind a good part of the violent actions during the blockades and vandalism in Cali and Valle del Cauca last year, the ELN communiqué is the proof that this group is behind this vandalism, these blockades and this terrorist attack”, The minister continued to highlight, emphasizing the violent events that happened in the aforementioned points in Cali, during the protests of the National Strike.