(23 Jun 2000) Spanish/Nat
XFA
Colombian President Andres Pastrana has handed the leadership of the National Police Force to General Luis Ernesto Gilibert at a ceremony in the capital, Bogota.
General Rosso Jose Serrano steps down as leader of the national force after 5 and a half years service.
The replacement comes as the US Congress approved to give this Andean nation about 1 (b) billion U-S dollars in counter narcotics funds, military and police hardware.
A full military ceremony was awarded to the new and departing National Police Chiefs.
Hundreds watched a parade before the position was officially handed over by President Andres Pastrana.
SOUNDBITE: (Spanish)
"I have named as the Director General of the National Police of Colombia, General Luis Vargas. In this service all people in the institution will obey and respect him, and follow him in all service. I hereby hand you the National Police."
SUPER CAPTION: Colombian President Andres Pastrana
The general is stepping down just as Washington embarks on a new - some say perilous - phase in efforts to stem the flow of drugs from this nation that produces 90 percent of the world's cocaine and a growing share of its heroin.
The U-S funds would finance a Colombian military push into leftist rebel-held southern jungles, paving the way for stepped up efforts to fumigate drug crops and destroy laboratories.
Serrano, who initiated aerial crop destruction as chief of the police anti-narcotics division in the early 1990s, says he welcomes the U-S aid package because it will send a tough message to drug traffickers.
SOUNDBITE: (Spanish)
"To my friends from the United States of America and the international community as a whole to whom we owe technological development and modernization of the institution - thank you for your help with Colombia and its people."
SUPER CAPTION: General Rosso Jose Serrano, Former National Police Chief
His successor, General Luis Gilibert, spoke of the help the technology will give the force in the fight against narco-trafficking.
SOUNDBITE: (Spanish)
"This is what drives us on. We will achieve new advances with the aid of this formidable technology, but also with the more formidable force of human integrity which is the backbone of the National Police Forces of Colombia. We will achieve results which will continue the developments we have already made against narco-trafficking and corruption. Results which show huge impact against hijacking, and results that answer to the people's call for security."
SUPER CAPTION: General Luis Ernesto Gilibert, New National Police Chief
President Pastrana called on General Gilibert to continue where Serrano leaves off.
SOUNDBITE: (Spanish)
"General, I ask you to continue with this same conviction that you have shown over the years, take this to the police to help them continue growing in their capacity as guardians of the people, and their mission with Colombia as a whole."
SUPER CAPTION: Andres Pastrana, Colombian President
Serrano is praised for having purged the police of more than 11-thousand corrupt officers and in 1995 dismantling the Cali cocaine cartel, which had corrupted Colombia's political class to the core.
While failing to dent the outflow of cocaine and heroin, the Cali cartel's downfall led to smaller but lesser known cartels and turned public opinion against corrupt politicians.
It also damaged the economy by encouraging traffickers to invest their profits abroad.
The General readily credits U-S agencies for intelligence, training and money critical to many successful operations.
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