US embassy cable - 05BOGOTA10848

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Identifier:	05BOGOTA10848
Wikileaks:	View 05BOGOTA10848 at Wikileaks.org
Origin:	Embassy Bogota
Created:	2005-11-21 16:22:00
Classification:	UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Tags:	SNAR MOPS PINR CO
Redacted:	This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.

UNCLAS BOGOTA 010848 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR INL/LP AND WHA/AND 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SNAR, MOPS, PINR, CO 
SUBJECT: COUNTER-DRUG BRIGADE CHANGE OF COMMAND 
 
1. (U)  The Colombian Army Counter- Drug Brigade (CD BDE) 
will be getting a new commander in mid-December.  Brigadier 
General (BG) Jorge Octavio ARDILA Silva will replace 
outgoing CD BDE Commander BG Luis Felipe PAREDESParedes 
Cadena, who will assume command of the 2nd Brigade in 
Barranquilla. 
 
2. (SBU)  BG Ardila Silva is from the engineer branch and is 
currently the Chief of Logistics for the Army.  His past 
assignments include being second- in- command at the 4th 
Division hHeadquarters and a tour as mMilitary aAttache in 
the U.S. 
 
3. (SBU)  BG Ardila Silva is well known to the current 
Narcotics Police (DIRAN) Commander, BG Jorge Baron, which 
augers well for the DIRAN-CD BDE operations in support of 
aerial eradication. 
 
4. (SBU)  Previous CD BDE commanders have lasted from one to 
two years in the unit.  It is not unusual for a commander to 
be transferred after one year, especially given the forced 
retirement of six active duty generals during the first part 
of 2005. 
 
5. (U)  BG Ardila Silva is not a relative of has no relation 
to BG Luis Alberto Ardila Silva, the 6th Division commander 
and the commanderorganization to whomich the CD BDE head 
reportsadministratively belongs. 
 
6. (SBU) Comment: Preliminary human rights checks within the 
embassy show no derogatory information on BG Jorge Ardila 
Silva. End comment. 
 
DRUCKER