Minister Blames Alias Marlon For Valle del Cauca Violence

Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez made security announcements following a Security Council meeting at the Municipal Administrative Center in Palmira, Valle del Cauca. Sánchez attributed the recent escalation of criminal activity in the southwest of Colombia to the criminal figure known as Alias Marlon. Emergency response units, including over 20 personnel and five heavy rescue vehicles, remain active in the affected zone. Local authorities are monitoring the situation for further casualties. The Colombian government and business councils have criticized recent security failures following terrorist attacks in Cauca, Valle del Cauca, and Nariño. Officials stated that current policies have weakened state offensive capacity and signaled permissiveness toward violent groups.