The Ministry of Justice and Law, through its head in charge, Augusto Ocampo, expressed its human and institutional solidarity with the Minister of the Interior, Armando Benedetti, after he denounced the overflight of drones in the vicinity of his residence during the early hours of Sunday, November 2.
In an official statement, the Justice Ministry described the events as a “direct affront to the values of the Social Rule of Law,” warning that these types of actions violate the tranquility and personal security of public officials.
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“These types of situations, which threaten personal and family tranquility, cannot and should not be normalized in a democracy. Intimidation, threats or harassment, wherever it comes from, constitute a direct affront to the most sacred values of the Social State of Law: life, human dignity and freedom,” indicated the text signed by Ocampo.
The Minister of Justice emphasized that he categorically rejects any action or attempt to intimidate a public servant and trusted that the competent authorities will carry out the necessary technical and judicial investigations to clarify what happened and prevent its repetition.
Hours before Minjusticia’s reaction, the Minister of the Interior, Armando Benedetti, published a video on his
“Here is the video where between 12 at night and 3 in the morning today the drones flew over the place where I live,” Benedetti stated in his publication, accompanied by the images captured during the early hours of the morning.
The senior official assured that he will deliver the evidence and videos to the competent authorities, in order to identify those possibly responsible for the incident. In addition, he indicated that he filed a criminal action after noticing suspicious movements around his residence.
“In a country where a drone can be a lethal weapon, no one uses it to have fun at three in the morning or to monitor by car,” the minister warned in his message.
According to his story, in addition to the drones flying over, an unknown vehicle circled the area and several people took photographs of the facade of his home, facts that he described as “intimidating.”
The Minister of Justice, Augusto Ocampo, reiterated that the normalization of acts that violate the privacy or security of public officials cannot be allowed. He stressed that, in a democratic State, differences or controversies must be resolved within the framework of the law and not through acts of intimidation or illegal surveillance.
“We trust that the competent authorities will immediately carry out the necessary investigations to clarify what happened, identify those responsible and prevent these events from being repeated,” the statement said.
The statement from the Ministry of Justice is framed in a climate of growing concern for the safety of senior officials of the National Government, especially after several cases of surveillance and threats against public figures became known.
The Administrative Department of the Presidency of the Republic (DAPRE) also ruled on Benedetti’s complaint. Its director, Angie Lizeth Rodríguez, called on citizens to reject all forms of violence and intimidation, emphasizing that life and human dignity are essential pillars of Colombian democracy.
“Life and dignity are not threatened, they are protected,” emphasized Rodríguez, who also reiterated the Government’s confidence that the judicial authorities will guarantee the safety of public servants and the free exercise of their functions.
Both the Ministry of Justice and the DAPRE agreed that these events should not go unpunished and that the institutions must act firmly to preserve citizen confidence in the State.
Ocampo’s statement highlights that “intimidation, threats or harassment constitute a direct affront to the rule of law,” in a context in which the use of drones for unauthorized surveillance purposes raises serious concerns about the security and privacy of officials.
With this statement, the Ministry of Justice seeks to make clear that the protection of life, freedom and human dignity are non-negotiable values that must be defended above any political or personal differences.
