DATE=8/14/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-41156
TITLE=PROFILE: COLOMBIA'S GEN. SERRANO
BYLINE=MICHAEL BOWMAN
DATELINE=RIO DE JANEIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: AS PUBLIC FIGURES, POLICE CHIEFS MAY BE WELL-KNOWN, BUT
RARELY ACHIEVE CELEBRITY STATUS. SUCH IS NOT THE CASE IN
COLOMBIA. FOR YEARS, PUBLIC OPINION SURVEYS HAVE CONSISTENTLY
SHOWN THE DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL POLICE, GENERAL ROSSO JOSE
SERRANO, AS ONE OF THE MOST HIGHLY RESPECTED AND POPULAR PEOPLE
IN THE COUNTRY. SO FAVORABLE ARE HIS APPROVAL RATINGS THAT,
EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE COUNTRY'S TOP-TWO PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES
BOTH COURTED HIM AS THEIR RUNNING-MATE. V-O-A'S MICHAEL BOWMAN
RECENTLY SPOKE WITH GENERAL SERRANO IN BOGOTA, AND FILED THIS
REPORT FROM OUR SOUTH AMERICA BUREAU.
TEXT: SINCE ASSUMING COMMAND OF THE NATIONAL POLICE IN JANUARY
1995, GENERAL ROSSO JOSE SERRANO HAS COME TO ENJOY NEAR-CULT
STATUS AMONG MANY COLOMBIANS, A PHENOMENON THE MEDIA IN BOGOTA
DESCRIBES AS "ROSSO-MANIA." AN UNASSUMING AND INFORMAL MAN OF 56
YEARS, GENERAL SERRANO IS BELOW-AVERAGE IN HEIGHT AND SOMEWHAT
ROTUND, WITH A GENTLE MANNER THAT BELIES THE SERIOUS NATURE OF
HIS WORK, MUCH OF WHICH INVOLVES HUNTING DRUG TRAFFICKERS.
U-S OFFICIALS SAY GENERAL SERRANO ENJOYS THEIR COMPLETE
CONFIDENCE. WHILE ALLEGATIONS OF NARCO-CORRUPTION HOUNDED FORMER
COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT ERNESTO SAMPER, WHOSE TERM IN OFFICE ENDED
EARLIER THIS MONTH, U-S OFFICIALS SAY THEIR FAITH IN THE GENERAL
NEVER FALTERED.
ACROSS COLOMBIA -- AND IN WASHINGTON -- GENERAL SERRANO IS
CREDITED WITH HAVING WEEDED OUT THOUSANDS OF CORRUPT OFFICERS,
BOOSTED MORALE AND "HUMANIZED" THE NATIONAL POLICE TO MAKE IT
MORE RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS -- AND RESPECTFUL OF THE RIGHTS --
OF THE PEOPLE IT SERVES. SINCE 1995, THE REFORMED SECURITY FORCE
HAS DISMANTLED TWO MAJOR DRUG CARTELS AND CAPTURED DOZENS OF DRUG
KINGPINS. GENERAL SERRANO SAYS THE SUCCESS OF THE ANTI-NARCOTICS
PROGRAM HAS CHANGED THE BUSINESS OF DRUG TRAFFICKING.
// SERRANO ACT IN SPANISH -- ESTABLISH AND FADE UNDER TEXT //
ACCORDING TO GENERAL SERRANO, THE LARGE DRUG-TRAFFICKING
OPERATIONS IN COLOMBIA ARE A THING OF THE PAST. HE SAYS THE
JAILING OF SO MANY DRUG BARONS HAS LED TO THE CREATION OF A WEB
OF MUCH SMALLER NARCO-OPERATIONS THAT LACK THE HUGE,
INTERNATIONAL NETWORK ENJOYED BY ITS PREDECESSORS.
DESPITE COLOMBIA'S SUCCESS IN BRINGING DOWN THE BIG CARTELS,
GENERAL SERRANO SAYS THE WAR ON DRUGS IS FAR FROM OVER. HE HAS
SEVERAL SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO FIGHT THE WAR MORE EFFECTIVELY,
INCLUDING OBTAINING BETTER EQUIPMENT FOR THE COUNTRY'S
ANTI-NARCOTICS FORCES. THE NATIONAL POLICE DIRECTOR SAYS HIS
UNITS WOULD GREATLY BENEFIT FROM MORE-ADVANCED HELICOPTERS THAN
THE SMALL SQUADRON OF U-S MADE VIETNAM WAR-ERA (U-H-1-H)
HELICOPTERS THEY CURRENTLY POSSESS.
// SERRANO ACT IN SPANISH -- ESTABLISH AND FADE UNDER TEXT //
GENERAL SERRANO SAYS, GIVEN COLOMBIA'S TERRAIN, HIS GREATEST WISH
WOULD BE TO SECURE HELICOPTERS THAT WOULD ALLOW NOT ONLY THE
SPRAYING OF COCA FIELDS -- WHICH GROW NEAR GROUND-LEVEL -- BUT
ALSO THE ERADICATION OF POPPY CROPS, FROM WHICH HEROIN IS MADE.
HE POINTS OUT THAT POPPIES GROW AT HIGH ALTITUDES UNREACHABLE BY
MOST HELICOPTERS UNDER HIS COMMAND.
// BEG OPT // IN ADDITION TO HELICOPTERS, THE DIRECTOR OF
COLOMBIA'S NATIONAL POLICE SAYS HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE COUNTRIES
SUCH AS MEXICO AND BRAZIL EXERT GREATER CONTROL OVER THE
DISTRIBUTION OF CHEMICALS USED IN DRUG PRODUCTION. AND, HE SAYS,
ULTIMATELY, DRUG-CONSUMING NATIONS SUCH AS THE UNITED STATES MUST
REDUCE DEMAND FOR ILLEGAL NARCOTICS. // END OPT //
THE POST OF COLOMBIAN NATIONAL POLICE DIRECTOR COMES WITH A HEAVY
BURDEN. UNLIKE HIS COUNTERPARTS IN MANY OTHER COUNTRIES, GENERAL
SERRANO CANNOT GO OUT IN PUBLIC -- EXCEPT AT OFFICIAL EVENTS
WHERE SECURITY IS EXTREMELY HEAVY. HIS ENEMIES INCLUDE AL
NARCO-TRAFFICKERS, COLOMBIA'S LEFTIST GUERRILLAS, AND,
POTENTIALLY, EVERY POLICE OFFICER HE HAS DISMISSED FROM THE
FORCE. // BEG OPT // HIS CHIEF OF SECURITY, CAPTAIN JUAN
GUILLERMO MANCERA, SAYS GENERAL SERRANO'S ONLY OUTDOOR
RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY CONSISTS OF PLAYING TENNIS SEVERAL TIMES A
WEEK AT A CAMP BELONGING TO THE NATIONAL POLICE.
// OPT MANCERA ACT -- ESTABLISH AND FADE UNDER TEXT //
CAPTAIN MANCERA SAYS THE GENERAL CANNOT GO TO A MOVIE; HE CANNOT
GO SHOPPING OR TO A PARK OR A RESTAURANT LIKE ANY OTHER CITIZEN.
// END OPT //
THE SECURITY DILEMMA -- AND THE RESTRICTIONS THAT ACCOMPANY IT
--EXTEND TO HIS FAMILY, AS WELL. GENERAL SERRANO HAS SENT HIS
TWO SONS TO STUDY IN THE UNITED STATES, HOPING TO PROTECT THEM
AND, AT THE SAME TIME, ALLOW THEM TO ENJOY A LESS-SHELTERED
EXISTENCE THAN IS POSSIBLE IN COLOMBIA.
THE NATIONAL POLICE DIRECTOR ACCEPTS THE SACRIFICES THAT COME
WITH HIS OFFICE. HE SAYS HE ENTERED THE POLICE FORCE WHEN HE WAS
17 YEARS OLD, AND THAT HE IS ACCUSTOMED TO RESTRICTIONS ON HIS
PERSONAL LIBERTY.
IN JUNE OF THIS YEAR, COLOMBIA HELD RUN-OFF PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTIONS. BOTH CONTENDERS, LIBERAL HORACIO SERPA AND THE
EVENTUAL WINNER AND CURRENT PRESIDENT, CONSERVATIVE ANDRES
PASTRANA, HAD HOPED TO ENLIST GENERAL SERRANO AS THEIR VICE
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE. THE GENERAL SAYS HE TURNED DOWN THE
OFFERS.
// SERRANO ACT IN SPANISH -- ESTABLISH AND FADE UNDER TEXT //
HE SAYS HE ANALYZED THE SITUATION, AND DECIDED AGAINST SEEKING
THE VICE PRESIDENCY. HE SAYS THE COLOMBIAN PEOPLE LIKE HIM AS A
POLICEMAN; HE IS NOT SURE THEY WOULD LIKE HIM AS A POLITICIAN.
ONE DAY, THE GENERAL SAYS, HE WILL RETIRE FROM THE NATIONAL
POLICE. HE ENVISIONS LIVING ABROAD FOR A WHILE, BUT SAYS HIS
DREAM IS TO RETURN TO THE SIMPLE LIFE HE ENJOYED AS A CHILD.
BORN AND RAISED ON A FARM IN NORTHEASTERN COLOMBIA, HE SAYS HE
LOOKS FORWARD TO A TIME WHEN HE CAN RAISE ANIMALS AND ENJOY SOME
OF COLOMBIA'S BREATHTAKING NATURAL SCENERY. (SIGNED)
NEB/MCB/TMD/KL
14-Aug-98 6:32 PM EDT (2232 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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