Colombia’s prosecution said Wednesday that not seven, but eight minors were killed in a bombardment on an alleged FARC dissident camp praised as an “impeccable operation” by president Ivan Duque.
The killing of the minors was revealed by Senator Roy Barreras (U Party) on Tuesday in a debate over a motion of no confidence filed against controversial Defense Minister Guillermo Botero.
Duque authorized the August 29 bombardment in reaction to the announcement of “Ivan Marquez” that he and some 15 other rebel commanders had abandoned the country’s peace process and rearmed.
Barreras on Tuesday accused Botero of re-victimizing the seven presumed minors who allegedly were recruited by alleged FARC dissident “Gildardo Cucho” by referring to them as “criminals.”
Duque presented bombed minors and children as ‘narco-terrorist criminals’
In a press release, the Prosecutor General’s Office said that “the medical analyses have not yet been concluded. Until now, 15 bodies (eight minors and seven adults) have been identified, and two are still unidentified.”
The prosecution did not confirm if the alleged FARC dissident was killed in the bombing and said it would make a more comprehensive statement once the medical examiner’s office had concluded the identification process.
The revelation triggered a wave of indignation against Botero, who said “the operation was legal” and Duque, who ignored the issue in absolute.
Social media overheated with tens of thousands of people demanding the resignation of the defense minister and others the resignation of the president.
Duque’s Twitter account was flooded with angry and indignant comments about his failure to address the issue, and talking about creative economy initiatives and gender equality instead.
Will Guillermo Botero make history and become Colombia’s first-ever minister sacked by Congress?
The revelation appears to have sealed the fate of the defense minister.
The U Party said on Wednesday that it would join the other parties of the center-right voting block and the leftist opposition to vote in favor of the motion of no confidence next week.