U.S. military contractors will not have immunity in Colombia, Interior Minister Fabio Valencia Cossio said Tuesday evening.
Contractors of the United States who will work on U.S. military bases in Colombia will not have the privilege of immunity as it is normally part of the Vienna Convention.
Immunity will only apply to the U.S. military, Valencia told local media. But the government will include clauses in the agreement which allows Colombian prosecutors to cooperate in the investigations against those who violate the Colombian Law.
Valencia also reiterated that the military base agreement with the United States will not be discussed in Congress because “this agreement does not create new obligations nor modify existing agreements.” The agreement will be respectful to the law and national constitution, it will not violate the sovereignty and national authority and it will not be used to intervene in affairs of other countries, the minister said.
The United States “will provide us with technology, intelligence and training. [Colombia] will not loose … sovereignty nor neutrality because there is no foreign war for which Colombia will serve as a transit for troops who will attack another country,” Valencia explained.