Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced that more than a million munitions, explosives, grenades and missiles were lost in the military bases of Tolemaida and La Guajira. Everything suggests that these weapons could fall into the hands of criminal groups in Haiti.
The stolen weapons were intended for sub-claimants, including armed groups in Colombia and potentially foreign conflicts, notably in Haiti, the president of Casa de Nariño said.
According to Petro, more than a million munitions, explosives, grenades, missiles were lost in the military bases of Tolemaida and La Guajira.
Networks involving members of the military and civilian forces have been identified in the massive arms trade in Colombia, a country facing decades of armed conflict and corruption scandals within the public force.
The theft of weapons was discovered during a stock inspection. Haiti is seven hours by speedboat from the La Guajira base, one of the places from which the weapons were stolen.
In July 2021, Colombian mercenaries assassinated Haitian President Jovenel Moïse, plunging the country into social chaos exacerbated by the violence of gangs who control a significant part of the territory and the capital, Port-au-Prince.
Defense Minister Iván Velásquez said investigations were underway to take necessary measures, including possible dismissals at the military bases involved.
Colombia, affected by an armed conflict that has caused 9.5 million victims over six decades, faces persistent security and stability challenges.
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