Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos will propose new security measures to Congress as a peace offering to loyalists of his predecessor, Alvaro Uribe.
The new protection program – for Congressmen and threatened trade unionists and journalists – will see the Interior Ministry assuming security responsbilities from the now defunct domestic intelligence agency DAS, which President Santos dissolved last week.
President Santos wants to secure support from the entire coalition U Party in an upcoming plenary vote on a Legal Framework for Peace. U Party members loyal to Uribe walked out of two plenary sessions last week in protest at the decision to stop buying armored cars for members of Congress, despite a recent assassination attempt against U Party member Albeiro Vanegas.
It was the latest sign of discontent within the coalition, in which Uribistas are becoming increasingly marginalised.
Minister for the Interior, German Vargas Lleras said the new security program would be announced following a meeting between Santos and the U Party Tuesday morning.