After the embarrassing episode in which a woman slaps a soldier who is in charge of guarding the entrance to the North Canton, in the town of Usaquén in Bogotá, the commander of the Colombian Army, General Eduardo Zapateiro, announced that he will honor the young man in uniform and his superior in charge, a sergeant, since despite the aggression they acted correctly.

In an interview he gave to Semana magazine, the high official pointed out that the uniformed men will receive the Faith in the Cause medal.

“We cannot allow ourselves to be provoked, I think I will bring that soldier next week to my office, I am going to award him the Faith in the Cause medal, to the sergeant who did the procedure as they had to do it”, Zapateiro told Semana.

The Army commander indicated that the soldier and the sergeant acted professionally despite the aggression of the woman, who was identified as María Fernanda, who was also reported to be the daughter of Colonel Beymar Mejía Pérez.

“We did what we had to do. I think today I am prouder of my soldiers, prouder of my sergeants, they have understood me, they have understood the philosophy and thought of the Army commander”, stressed the senior officer.

The attack occurred at dawn on Saturday, March 27, in which the woman, apparently drunk, she slaps the soldier for his refusal to allow her to enter the military garrison in that state.

This fact, which was recorded in several videos that were published on Twitter, was described by Zapateiro as very painful in the interview with Semana, since the aggressor is the daughter of an officer who is on a mission abroad.

“The painful thing is that she is the daughter of an Army colonel, who left with her family. I want to say this to Colombians so that they understand exactly the depth of the issue: The colonel leaves, winter arrives, his wife gets sick, has bronchitis, has special situations, he comes to Colombia again to be able to be in a better climate and recover with his children and the colonel remains there fulfilling his mission, and passes this special situation with her daughter.” He explained.

However, Zapateiro was emphatic in pointing out that although he was regrettable what happened, the aggression and disrespect to the affected uniformed officers could not be tolerated.

“Many called me, ‘Eduardo, are you going to put up with this?’ No, I am a Colombian, a citizen who only put this in the hands of justice and she will have to appear, she will have to respond”, he reiterated.

In Semana they reported that due to this aggression, the woman will be immersed in a criminal process that the commander of the XIII Brigade, General Óscar Reinaldo Rey, initiated with the corresponding complaint.

“The command of the 13th Brigade of the Colombian Army expresses its absolute support for our soldier, victim of aggression, the reason for which the corresponding criminal actions were brought,” the officer who has under his command the attacked uniformed officers posted on Twitter.

Regarding the process of the aforementioned aggressor, General Zapateiro indicated that she had apologized to those affected, but that the investigation into this fact would continue.

“I gave his father the order to return to Colombia, not to damage his commission, but to come and organize his family, so that they come and organize their family nucleus and this is not presented again in the institution,” he said.

In his final reflection on this aggression, the Army commander indicated in the interview with Semana that more positive than negative lessons were learned.

“Today more than ever I see this situation that happened in the guard more positive than negative. Negative for the girl, for that woman who committed a slight with a soldier of the country. I invite Colombians, men, women, children, who are going to remain in their hearts, that the only thing I ask of them and what a soldier of retribution at his service asks for is love, respect, admiration and good treatment”, he concluded.

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