Colombia's Army Chief Forced to Quit

[Judi Lynn]

Update 1: Colombia's Army Chief Forced to Quit
By DAN MOLINSKI , 02.21.2006, 08:07 PM

The commander of the Colombian army resigned Tuesday following recent allegations that 21 soldiers were beaten, branded or sexually assaulted by their superiors.

Four instructors were arrested by military police and several officers have been implicated in the scandal at the military base where the abuse reportedly took place in Piedras, 60 miles west of the capital of Bogota.

Gen. Reinaldo Castellanos told local W Radio he resigned because his higher-ups "told me I have to quit."

The alleged abuses came to light over the weekend when rookie soldiers told the news magazine Semana that they were branded by instructors with red-hot pokers, had their faces shoved into cow dung or were, in at least one case, sexually assaulted with a stick.
(snip/...)

http://www.forbes.com/business/services/feeds/ap/2006/02/21/ap2543262.html

[mom cat]

1. It will be interesting to see if any off those responsible for the abuses

were School of the Americas trainees.

[Judi Lynn]

2. You've nailed this one! I just looked him up, found the following:

Castellanos received military training in the United States in 1981 and U.S. military officials in Bogota have described him as one of Colombia's most competent and intelligent field commanders who is widely respected by his soldiers. Washington has provided $3.3 billion in mostly military aid to Colombia during the last four years.
(snip)

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I don't think I'd ever want to hear the school song at the School of the Americas!

[mom cat]

3. It just seemed so likely. Thanks for getting the hard data!