COLOMBIA: HEAD OF POLICE RESIGNS скачать в хорошем качестве

COLOMBIA: HEAD OF POLICE RESIGNS

(13 Jun 2000) Spanish/Nat Colombia's head of police has resigned, citing the deaths of so many of his colleagues as one of his reasons. General Rosso Jose Serrano made history when he arrested the leaders of the Cali cocaine cartel. And he has been a trusted ally of Washington in the international war on drugs. The man who had been in charge of Colombia's police for the past five and a half years, General Rosso Jose Serrano, announced his resignation on Tuesday. He said it was for personal reasons. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) "After 40 years of wearing this uniform, after five and a half years as head of Police, with the sadness and nostalgia that invades me, I've made the decision - together with my family and with the president's agreement, that it was time to give opportunities to the coming generations to direct the organisation." SUPER CAPTION: General Rosso Jose Serrano, Former Chief of Colombian Police But he also said he'd seen too many police officers killed in Colombia's fight against drugs, kidnapping, homicide and guerrilla violence. The much-heralded chief's retirement had been widely expected. Late last year, he published his memoirs, which became a bestseller in Latin America. However the 40-year police veteran is stepping down at a sensitive time for the government. President Andres Pastrana is lobbying in Washington for a huge increase in anti-narcotics aid pledged by the Clinton administration, but those efforts have been hampered by election-year bickering and human rights concerns on Capitol Hill. Serrano is greatly admired by U-S lawmakers and officials for his past cooperation in the drug war and for his purging of corruption-tainted officers. He thanked all of them at the press conference on Tuesday. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) "My successor will have the full support of the Colombian people, the police and mine. I want to thank the president for all his support, I want to thank all the governments that have helped in developing our police, I want to thank again our friends from the US congress, the DEA, CIA and FBI agents who have worked with us closely." SUPER CAPTION: General Rosso Jose Serrano, Former Chief of Colombian Police In all, about eight-thousand officers were fired or retired during his tenure. When the U-S government shunned former president Ernesto Samper over allegations he won election in 1994 with contributions from drug traffickers, it simultaneously maintained close ties to Serrano. Serrano had indicated he might stay in his post until Colombia receives the U-S counter-narcotics aid, which could total more than a (b) billion dollars. There was no immediate comment from Pastrana, who has greatly reduced Serrano's profile in Colombia's diplomacy with Washington since assuming office in 1998. Pastrana has assigned a greater role to the country's military in fighting the cocaine and heroin trade. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) "We've got to live with reality and this is the reality. General Serrano will now be retired. I told the president and (interior) minister on Thursday and they know the effort I've made for this country." SUPER CAPTION: General Rosso Jose Serrano, Former Chief of Colombian Police The general lives under intense security in Colombia, and is the frequent target of death threats from groups across the political and criminal spectrum. In stepping down, Serrano made a plea for nonviolence to leftist rebels who despite peace talks with Pastrana have continued bloody attacks on towns and garrisons around the country. Serrano's replacement has been named. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...