Police increased security measures in the eastern department of Arauca, following threats by guerrilla group the ELN.
Colombia Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos announced that the ELN were planning an attack in Arauca in the hope of securing the release of some its ringleaders captured by the police. Some of the threats were directed towards Members of Parliament and Councellors.
Santos said special security measures will be put in place to protect those threatened. He will also ask the Prosecutor General Mario Iguarán to create a Board of Prosecutors in Arauca, which at the moment is dependant on the Board in Cúcuta.
“The guerrillas intention is to create an atmosphere of chaos and fear,” said Santos. “We should not underestimate these threats but I want to make it clear that the police will take care of the Members of Parliment and Councellors”.
Santos finished by saying that the Colombian government had paid a reward of 180 million pesos to the person who had supplied the information that led to the capture of one of the most important ELN ringleaders.
