The helicopter in which the president of Colombia, Iván Duque, and his team was traveling, was shot at this Friday in the Colombian city of Cúcuta , in the department of Norte de Santander, border area with Venezuela.
The Defense Minister, Diego Molano, and the Minister of the Interior, Daniel Palacio, were traveling with Duque , according to sources from the Government itself, ensuring at the same time that they are all safe.
The helicopter was attacked when landing at the Cúcuta airport with rifle shots, although the landing finally took place normally, so everyone was unharmed from the incident .
Apparently, the presidential helicopter received three bullet wounds when it flew from the town of Sardinata, in the troubled region of Catatumbo, towards that city.
Exclusive! This was the helicopter in which President Iván Duque was traveling when he suffered an attack in Norte de Santander, news in development at https://t.co/d166pifHIN pic.twitter.com/NBbbzKnHxi
– Vicky Dávila (@VickyDavilaH) June 25, 2021
The president of Colombia, Iván Duque, was traveling through the area to review a series of projects with the intention of analyzing various social investment as well as the fight against drug trafficking in that border area with Venezuela.
“Both the aerial device and the aircraft’s capabilities prevented something lethal from happening. The truth is that it is a cowardly attack where bullet holes are seen in the presidential aircraft , ”said the president of Colombia himself.
Today more than ever we continue working with all our love for Colombia and we will defeat the violent. Colombia and its institutions will always defeat criminals.
– Iván Duque 🇨🇴 (@IvanDuque) June 25, 2021
The area is known as a troubled region of Catatumbo and where the guerrillas of the National Liberation Army (ELN ) are present. In this case, it belongs to a small group of the Popular Liberation Army (EPL), considered by the Government as a criminal gang. They are seen as dissidents from the defunct FARC guerrillas and as drug trafficking groups.
“ Once again we reiterate that as a government we are not going to falter for a single minute, a single day, in the fight against drug trafficking, terrorism and organized crime organizations that operate in the country. Here they do not intimidate us with violence or acts of terrorism, our State is strong, “said Duque.
On the other hand, the president warned that he had given “very clear instructions to the entire security team to go after those who shot at the aircraft and also put the lives of other people at risk. The message is that Colombia is always strong in the face of crime and our institutions are above any threat.
Total rejection of the attack on the helicopter of President Duque and his Ministers. Those who engineered this attack wanted to take their lives and democracy from all Colombians. #NoViolence
– Daniel Quintero Calle (@QuinteroCalle) June 25, 2021
The attack against the president of Colombia has been immediately rejected by the different political groups in the country. The mayor of Medellín, Daniel Quintero, said after the incident against the president of his country that the people who ” plotted this attack wanted to take their lives and democracy from all Colombians .”
