Oswaldo Jarrín: We need to recover discipline, the relationship of command

Ecuadornews:

The troops of the Land, Air and Navy Forces formed around the square of the military complex of La Recoleta, in the south of Quito. There was held on Monday, December 10, 2018, the presentation of the new military leadership. The general of division Roque Moreira is head of the Joint Command of Armed Forces(Comaco), the maximum instance among the soldiers.

Javier Pérez is in charge of the Army. Mauricio Campuzano Núñez commands the FAE and Darwin Jarrín, the Navy. The military ceremony began at 07:40. Moreira spokefor the first time as the maximum head of the Armed Forces. In five minutes he said that in his command he will not tolerate indiscipline and bad elements.”The command will have its doors open to all initiatives that contribute to strengthening the institution, but we will be inflexible with those who attempt against their honor, with those who foment indiscipline and blemish the uniform.”

The military listened attentively. Moreira assured that the Armed Forces “need a solid leadership” to stay integrated, “in order to consolidatetheir prestige and be worthy of the trust of the citizens”. Anothermessage: “Work for some armed forces committed to the tasks determined inthe Constitution and laws, with high operational capacity and professionalism that is the task.

Discipline is the fundamental instrument of a hierarchical institution and loyalty is part of the nature of our institution “. Everyone applauded. Before, the defense minister, Oswaldo Jarrín, gave a message in similar terms. When the official entered the platform of the military complex, accompanied by the new commanders, officers and troops, they squared off.

He spoke of the need to re-institutionalize National Defense and to recover military discipline. According to Jarrín, the re-institucionalization will beachieved with regulations. One will be the new Personnel and Discipline Law of the Armed Forces. This normative body will be presented the second week of January. This way it is foreseen “to recover the discipline, the subordination and the relation of command”.

He also said that the military “must abide by regulations, responsibility and transparency.” The others are the Organic Law of National Defense and the Maritime Safety Law, which were already sent to the Assembly, for analysis.

Jarrin said that currently there are flaws in military rigidity. “You cannot call attention to a subordinate because they immediately put a legal claim.”The sale of weapons Currently, 41 soldiers in active service are prosecuted for drugs, sale of ammunition and other crimes.

On October 18, seven uniformed and six civilians suspected of trafficking in military weapons were arrested.

 At11:00 today, in the Judicial Unit of San Lorenzo-Esmeraldas the hearing will beheld to review the preventive detention that weighs against two uniformed. In the proceeding, Judge Óscar Cuenca will decide if the prison order is maintained or change to an alternative measure such as the periodic presentation before an authority or the prohibition of leaving the country.

La nueva cúpula militar es presentada en las instalaciones del Ministerio de Defensa » https://t.co/4oZTXTxruX pic.twitter.com/yy5fzrl3xT

— El Comercio (@elcomerciocom) 10 de diciembre de 2018

On December3, the same magistrate denied the request to replace the prison to four defendants. During the investigation, the Office of the Public Prosecutor in charge of this issue has collected versions of the heads of logistics operations. Erwin Romero, lawyer of a sergeant arrested for arms trafficking to’Guacho’, said that these testimonies have allowed to determine the innocence of his client.

Initially it was said that 500 munitions, apparently destined for the head of the dissidence, would have left Fort Huancavilca, where the uniformed man worked.But the lawyer assures that this material belonged to the Logistic Command of Loja.

The drug in Manta

On the other hand, the four soldiers who presumably introduced cocaine to Manta Air Base, on September 12, will go to trial for drug trafficking. The decision was made after a 12-hour trial preparatory hearing.

In the Court of Manta, the police agents and the General Prosecutor of the State presented 38 evidence collected during the four months of the police investigation.Among the evidences are the videos of the security cameras of the Combat WingNo.23 (part of the Base). The images captured the moment a truck entered at10:45 on September 12.

In the car there were 990 packets of cocaine, which were inside black jute bags,covered with sand. The agents of the Anti-narcotics Investigation Unit (UIAN)detected the illicit and apprehended that night two members of the Ecuadorian Air Force (FAE), as alleged perpetrators.

Amonth and a half after the discovery of the drug, the Office of the Prosecutor linked two more soldiers and an employee of the Directorate of Civil Aviation(DAC), as accomplices. In November, Minister Jarrin had already mentioned that the armed forces must face threats from irregular armed border groups,organized crime, violation of sovereignty and drug trafficking.

In the midst of these events, Jarrin insists that they will re-institutionalize Defense. “And when I say that we are permanently developing military professionalism, we all have dedicated ourselves to the tasks that are required to fulfill the constitutional objectives.”

In context

On May14, the defense minister, Oswaldo Jarrín, assured that he initiated there institutionalization of the Armed Forces, with the presentation of the Defense Policy for the northern border. Where at the beginning of the year a crisis was unleashed by the attacks of irregulars. (I)

Source: https://www.elcomercio.com/actualidad/oswaldo-jarrin-disciplina-ffaa-defensa.html