Former Army Commander Admits Leading a Criminal Organization in ‘False Positives’ Case

Former Army Commander Admits Leading a Criminal Organization in ‘False Positives’ Case

In the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) Recognition Hearing for 303 ‘false positives’ in Casanare, General (r) Henry Torres Escalante, former commander of the Army’s 16th Brigade, publicly accepted the accusation of the judiciary as the most responsible for this criminal phenomenon.

General (r) Torres Escalante publicly admitted to becoming the leader of the criminal organization responsible for homicides and forced disappearances, acknowledging his full awareness and voluntary participation. He took responsibility as the primary perpetrator for these crimes but did not confess to ordering the murders.

Pressure from Superiors and Fraudulent Actions

The high officer shed light on the internal pressures within the army that contributed to these criminal acts. According to him, he, General Mario Montoya, the Army’s commander, and General Guillermo Quinonez of the Fourth Division constantly pressured their subordinates to prioritize combat deaths over protecting civilians.

Furthermore, General (r) Torres Escalante admitted to bribing Lieutenant Marco Fabian Garcia Cespedes with 45 million pesos to alter his accusations. This act, which he attempted to disguise as “assistance”, introduces another intricate dimension to the scandal, involving judicial fraud.

Admission of Guilt and its Implications

With the officer’s admission, light has been shed on the systemic issues within the military that gave rise to the ‘false positives’ scandal. His confession implicates high-ranking military officials and underscores the necessity for further investigation into the depth and extent of corruption within the military.

Despite his acceptance of guilt and his public expression of remorse, Torres Escalante’s case prompts questions about the extent of corruption within the military and the need for systemic change. The implications of his admission will likely have far-reaching effects on the ongoing investigations and trials related to the ‘False Positives’ scandal.

Colombia’s ‘False Positives’ Scandal: A Dark Chapter of Deception and Injustice Haunts the Nation

The ‘false positives’ scandal stands as one of the deadliest and most disturbing chapters in Colombia’s conflict history. During the 2000s, the Colombian military unjustly killed thousands of innocent civilians, deceptively portraying them as guerrillas or criminals in order to inflate the statistics of their military operations. These victims, typically young individuals from impoverished backgrounds, were lured in with false employment promises. Today, the affected families persist in their relentless pursuit of truth and justice.

In 2019, the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP), established following the 2016 Peace Agreement between the Colombian Government and the FARC guerrilla, assumed responsibility for investigating extrajudicial executions. However, the families persistently demand justice, echoing the question: “Who issued the orders?”.