Workers from the construction company KMA in one of the plants. KMA Construcciones
The company KMA Construcciones reported the mass kidnapping of at least 19 of its workers on Friday morning. The lockdown occurred at eight in the morning when workers were paving the road that goes from the municipality of Convención to Ocaña, in the Catatumbo area of Norte de Santander.
In a press release, the company explains that armed men also confiscated the machines intended for the Transversal del Catatumbo project. “We are currently verifying the number of workers and machines retained, but it is estimated that around 19 employees were abducted,” the document released by KMA said.
Warning: the KMA company confirms that there are 19 workers kidnapped by the ELN who are building the Transversal del Catatumbo. Be careful what he says about the request to suspend the contract due to threats. pic.twitter.com/1lfprHoIeC
— Ricardo Ospina (@ricarospina) July 7, 2023
However, the mayor of the municipality of Convención, Dimar Barbosa, told Caracol Radio that only four workers from the KMA company were involved in the kidnapping: “It is very unfortunate because what we all wish for most in Convención is that the road to Ocaña will be paved.” and that hurts us enormously.” Julián David Monsalve, commander in charge of the Ocaña Police District, told RCN radio that they were investigating the illegal arrest of an engineer, two social workers and a machine operator who were at working to restore the road.
In this area of Norte de Santander there is a strong presence of ELN guerrillas and FARC dissidents. Authorities have not yet confirmed which of these armed groups is responsible for the kidnapping. If it is confirmed that it was the ELN, it would be the second kidnapping carried out by the guerrillas in just three days of the ceasefire with Gustavo Petro’s government. The first, which occurred in Arauca this Wednesday, was against Karina Ramírez Chitiva, an army sergeant, and her two children.
These facts are linked to the statements made by the ELN’s chief negotiator, Pablo Beltrán, who, when announcing the ceasefire with the government, reiterated that extortion and kidnapping were not part of the agreement. “ELN financial operations started to be discussed here, but this discussion did not end. They will continue to discuss, they have not acceded to these protocols, we hope that they will later,” Beltrán said a few weeks ago in Havana, after the conclusion of the third cycle of negotiations. The ELN’s finances, he added, included “taxes” and “withholdings,” as rebels often refer to kidnappings.
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The company KMA also denounced that the project workers had been threatened since June. “On June 13, we requested the suspension of the contract for the Transversal del Catatumbo Motorway, taking into account the threats and serious disturbances to public order in the area affected by the project.”
According to KMA, the regulator said on June 23 that the suspension of the contract was unfounded. “Invías has not received any communication in this regard. On July 7, before the events, a communication was sent to Invías reiterating the need to immediately suspend the contract in view of the threats.” across the country.” “We express our deep solidarity with our workers and their families and hope for their early release and return to their homes.”
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