The U.S. Embassy and the Colombian Ministry of National Defense announce the arrival of a U.S. Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB) to help Colombia in its fight against drug trafficking. The SFAB is a specialized unit of the U.S. Army formed to advise and assist operations in foreign nations. Its mission in Colombia will begin in early June and will last several months, during which it will focus its efforts primarily on the “Zonas Futuro” defined by the National Government.
In the words of Admiral Craig Faller, commander-in-chief of the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), “The SFAB mission to Colombia is an opportunity to show our mutual commitment to countering drug trafficking and supporting regional peace, respect for sovereignty, and the enduring promise of defending shared ideals and values.”
In addition, the Minister of Defense of Colombia Carlos Holmes Trujillo and the Commander General of the Military Forces General Luis Fernando Navarro said that for the Colombian Government, the fight against drug trafficking is a shared priority with the United States, since “this scourge is one of the main motors of the violence that affects communities, social leaders. Drug trafficking kills our farmers, destroys forests and wildlife and contaminates Colombia’s rivers and seas.”
It is worth mentioning that this is the first time that this brigade has worked with a country in the Latin American region, a fact that again reaffirms the commitment of the United States to Colombia, its best ally and friend in the region. The SFAB deployment supports the Enhanced Counternarcotics Operations, which were announced on April 1 by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Finally, it is important to note that all members of the brigade will comply with the current biosecurity protocols required by the Colombian National Government to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
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