Uribe names 4th Brigade general new army chief

THE Colombian general of an army unit notorious for accusations of extra-judicial executions became head of the army last week. General Oscar Peña González was appointed by President Alvaro Uribe after his predecessor, Mario Montoya, resigned earlier this month in a controversy over the shooting of innocent civilians who were allegedly disguised as guerillas killed in action.

by Tribune Web Editor
Thursday, November 20th, 2008

by René Lavanchy

THE Colombian general of an army unit notorious for accusations of extra-judicial executions became head of the army last week. General Oscar Peña González was appointed by President Alvaro Uribe after his predecessor, Mario Montoya, resigned earlier this month in a controversy over the shooting of innocent civilians who were allegedly disguised as guerillas killed in action.

But a 2005 United Nations human rights report found that soldiers in Mr González’ old unit, the Fourth Brigade, were widely accused of the same crimes while he was in command. The report also found evidence of “state connivance” at paramilitary killings in the brigade’s home province of Antioquia.

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  1. Camilo Magallanes comments:

    General Oscar Peña González was the hand behind General Mario Montoya, covering the crimes of Montoya and executing the orders from Bogota. Now, we will have to Peña Gonzalez in the first level to commit more crimes.

    Poor Colombia..!

  2. left888 comments:

    I suppose this is an object lesson on how we have to campaign for more holistic goals. Here, people seem to have got behind a campaign to get montoya sacked. So the govt sack him and then replace him with someone even worse.

    Solidarity with the opposition.

  3. anmadiro comments:

    GENERAL;

    todos sabemos que gracias a ustedes muchas personas que fueron desplazadas han regresado a sus hogares nuevamente, debido a la violencia ocacionada por los terroristas de las ONT – FARC,

    gracias a ustedes nos podemos movilizar por cual quier parte del pais sin el temor a que seamos secuestrados y ultrajados por estos terroristas de las ONT – FARC.

    gracias a ustedes nuestras familias se sienten muy seguras de nuestro pais.

    gracias a ustedes podemos decir que la política de Seguridad Democrática del Gobierno del mejor presidente que ha tenido este pais, se encuentra en un alto nivel.

    De igual forma de todo corazon, les digo que continuen asi, acabando con los bandidos que tanto daño nos han hecho y sobre todo crean en el General González, y TODO NUESTRO AGRADECIMIENTO al General MONTOYA. Usted General Montoya desarrolló un trabajo FABULOSO, que lamentablemente algunos elementos podridos de nuestras GLORIOSAS FUERZAS ARMADAS, con su GRAVE violación a los derechos humanos, enlodaron un poco. PERO NADA OCULTA LOS EXTRAORDINARIOS RESULTADOS de nuestras grloriosas fuerzas armadas, durante su liderazgo General Montoya. ADELANTE GENERAL GONZALEZ.

    PORFAVOR REENVIAR ESTE PEQUEÑO ESCRITO A NUESTROS CONTACTOS Y ASI SEGUIR DERROTANDO A LAS ONT – FARC EN SU LUCHA POR DESPRESTIGIAR AL GOBIERNO Y ALAS FUERZAS ARMADAS ……

    APORTANDO UN GRANITO DE ARENA TODOS LO PODEMOS LOGRAR..

    QUE VIVA COLOMBIA