Colombian Military Loses Millions of Ammunition and Weapons, President Reveals
Colombia’s President, Gustavo Petro, disclosed that the nation’s military has misplaced millions of bullets, thousands of grenades, and several missiles, citing internal corruption as the cause. Investigations into the disappearances are currently underway, according to the defense minister.
Petro attributed the missing items to internal corruption, suggesting that military personnel had been involved in selling weapons to arms traders. He highlighted discrepancies discovered during surprise inspections at two military bases, Tolemaida and La Guajira, revealing significant shortfalls in ammunition and weaponry compared to official records.
At Tolemaida, there was a shortfall of over 808,000 bullets and nearly 10,000 grenades, while at La Guajira, discrepancies included nearly 4.2 million bullets, over 9,300 grenades, and missing missiles and grenades. Petro expressed concern that these military supplies could have ended up in the hands of armed groups within Colombia or been smuggled to international destinations like Haiti or the black market.
The president emphasized the tragic irony that these lost munitions might end up harming the very military forces they were intended to support. The incident underscores broader challenges in Colombia, which has grappled with internal conflict involving government forces, guerrilla groups, and paramilitary forces for decades.
Defense Minister Ivan Velasquez announced ongoing investigations into the missing items and stated that some officials had been reassigned from their posts. Additional inspections of military bases across the country are planned.
Despite these challenges, Colombia’s military remains well-equipped, having received substantial support from the United States to combat drug cartels in the region.