Foreign Minister Laura Sarabia calls for international support to facilitate the release of 57 soldiers kidnapped in Cauca.

Foreign Minister Laura Sarabia addressed the ongoing crisis in Cauca following the kidnapping of 57 soldiers on social media. She rejected the detention of the soldiers and called for international cooperation to facilitate their releases.

" We strongly condemn the kidnapping of the 57 soldiers in Cauca," Sarabia said, immediately calling for the presence of international actors to facilitate their releases.

"We have requested support and assistance from international organizations defending human rights and guaranteeing peace, in order to facilitate the prompt and safe return of the uniformed personnel to their homes and to demand respect for international humanitarian law," explained the head of international relations.

Hours earlier, Interior Minister Armando Benedetti had issued a similar call for international organizations to be sought as facilitators.

"At this moment, we are seeking international participation. The criminals are talking about detention, but I warn you, all these people will be prosecuted here. We must be clear that seeking military action now would be inappropriate given the number of civilians in the area," the Interior Minister explained.

This is the second time in two weeks that Gustavo Petro's government has asked for help from international organizations. In the case of Miguel Uribe, he requested an independent commission to conduct the investigation. The president has insisted on other occasions that international actors must be involved in investigating major issues such as corruption or the attack on the senator and presidential candidate.

However, this case is different, as the request is for human rights and cooperation organizations to serve as intermediaries and facilitators for the release of the kidnapped soldiers.

In his tweet, Sarabia called on the captors to release the officers: "We urgently call on those responsible to cease these acts of violence and immediately release all the officers. The national and international community is vigilant."

In a tweet on Sunday night, President Gustavo Petro addressed the illegal detention. "I ask the farmers of La Hacienda, El Tambo, Cauca, to stop believing in armed groups who obey foreigners," the message reads.

The head of the Executive Branch indicated that the possibility of dialogue with the National Government remains open, with the goal of enabling agricultural workers to "transition to more legitimate economies."

"The violent ones want us to strike at the people, so they have the excuse to spread the conflict. We want to spread peace, but freeing the soldiers, who are their own children, is imperative," Petro added in his message.

Juan Sebastian Lombo Delgado