Colombia.- President Abelardo De la Espriella confirmed this Saturday, September 5, the transfer of another 39 inmates from penitentiary facilities in Barranquilla to high-security prisons located in different regions of the country, as part of the measures adopted by the Government to prevent criminal structures from continuing to operate from within the prisons.
Through a message posted on his social media, the president maintained that the measure seeks to cut off communication channels allegedly used by criminal organizations to issue orders, coordinate criminal actions, and maintain activities such as extortion from within their cells.
“We are dismantling their communication networks and cutting off their ability to intimidate”, stated De la Espriella, who added that he will not allow criminal structures to continue “committing crimes, extorting, or issuing orders from a cell”.
The head of state also assured that the country’s prisons cannot become centers of criminal operations and defended the implementation of prison control measures as part of his strategy to restore order and security.
Three moves in a few weeks
With the announcement made this Saturday, there are now three groups of inmates who have been transferred from Barranquilla over the last few weeks.
EL HERALDO revealed exclusively last Thursday, September 3, that the Government had ordered a new movement of inmates held at the El Bosque Penitentiary, in the southwest of the city. At that time, it was learned that at least 17 prisoners would be sent to different penitentiary establishments in the country.
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That transfer was in addition to the movements carried out since the end of August, in a strategy that the Government has presented as part of the actions to prevent criminal organizations from using prison centers as platforms to continue their illicit activities.
The first group was transferred on Tuesday, August 25. On that occasion, 20 prisoners held in Barranquilla facilities were sent to prisons in Bogotá. The president confirmed then that the decision had been issued directly by him.
“By my direct order, the INPEC is putting an end to the comfort zones of those who intend to continue committing crimes from prison,” stated the president.
According to the information known at the time, among those transferred were alleged members of Los Pepes and Los Costeños, accused of allegedly continuing extortion activities and ordering homicides from prison.
Subsequently, on August 28, the mayor of Barranquilla, Alejandro Char, confirmed the transfer of four other inmates from the El Bosque District Jail to different penitentiary centers in the country. According to the district leader, these inmates belonged to structures related to crimes such as homicide, theft, and extortion.
