1. Confidence and the rule of law
The implementation of the Colombian Democratic Security Strategy
ALVARO URIBE VELEZ
FEBRUARY 2012

2. Colombia in 2002: A Rule of Law crisis
Colombia in 2002 was a fragile State
The Colombian Paradox: a long and stable democracy in a permanent
threat from terrorist groups, drug dealers and organized crime…
Security
28.837 homicides
28882 kidnappings
69 homicides per 100.000 habitants
1645 terrorist attacks
350 mayors out of their municipalities
158 municipalities without police
Economy
Average Economic Growth 1994-2001:
2.1%
GDP per Capita: US$2377
Investment as % of GDP: 16.5%
Exports: US$11.975 million
FDI: US$2.100 million
Inflation: 6.99%
Fiscal balance: -3.2%
Social
Unemployment: 16.2%
Health Coverage: 25 million Colombians.
Pension affiliates: 4.5 million
Poverty:53%
Education Coverage: Primary 97%, High
school: 57%, University: 24%.
Mobile Phone Lines: 4.6 million
Internet coverage: 1.9 million

3. Rule of law was in jeopardy
Colombia faced a Confidence Deficit
(Without confidence no rule of law can exist)
The elusive quest for peace
Many governments exhausted all
their political capital attempting
to reach peace through political
dialogue…the result was military
strengthening from illegal armed
groups and a rapid growth in
their criminal activities (68%
thought the country was going in
a negative track)
Terrorist Groups (Guerrillas
and Paramilitaries) had
created a sense of defeat in
the Colombian people.
Fear impacted in the
Colombian people Mindset
The lack of investment
The drain of human capital
The sense of danger in
Colombian roads
The expansion of massive
kidnappings created an
emotional domino effect

4. Our vision
Our vision was to build a Comunitary State:
 CONFIDENCE was our main goal
 Without Confidence:
• NO INVESTMENT
• UNEMPLOYMENT
• LACK OF OPPORTUNITIES
• BRAIN DRAIN (YOUNG PEOPLE WANTED TO LEAVE WITHOUT A RETURN TICKET)
 Three main Policies:
 Democratic Security
 Investment with fraternity
 Social cohesion
 For the First Time a National Development Agenda had Security as a driver of
Development (Security = Investment = Social Cohesion)
 No more a debate between left and right

5. Our achievements
The combination of our Policies produced significant results: Lowest violence levels in two decades, highest
Security Economy
Indicator 2002 2010
Homicides 28838 15000
Kidnappings 2882 228
Homicides per
100K Habitants
69 16.3
Terrorist attacks 1645 250
Municipalities
without mayors
presence
350 0
Municipalities
without police
158 0
Indicator 2002 2010
Average
Economic
Growth
2.1% 4.3%
GDP per
Capita
2377 5300
Invest %
GDP
16.5% 24.6%
Exports US$11.0
00
US$
39.000
FDI US$2.10
0
US$
7.000
Inflation 6.9% 2.5%
Social
Indicator 2002 2010
Unemployment 16.2% 11.6%
Health Coverage 25.1
million
43.1
million
Pension affiliates 4.5
million
7.1
million
Poverty 57% 37%
Education coverage
(Primary, Hs, University)
97%
57%
24%
100%
79.4%
35.5%
Mobile phone users 4.6
million
lines
41
million
lines
levels of social coverage in Colombian History and highest levels of Exports and FDI in more than 5
decades.

6. The story of how security made possible
this change … is the one I want to share
with you today…

7. DEMOCRATIC SECURITY
General values
Take conscience of the
problem
Fight fear
Security as a Democratic
Value
Security and social
cohesion
Investment and social
cohesion
Security, investment and
social cohesion
Social Cohesion as de
validator
Citizen coalition
Leadership
Operational
essence
Credibility
Macro vision-Micro
Management
Lead the armed forces
Involve all the armed
forces
Citizen Participation
Citizen Participation
effects
Financial sustainability
A consistent speech
Anticipate with the truth
Implementation
Assume Responsibility
Promise commitment
Intelligence
Counter Intelligence
Rewards
Early victories
Perseverance in moments
of crisis
Endurance in times of
pressure
Impact
Give credit
International cooperation
Drugs and illicit crops
Dismantle terrorist
groups
Expose criminals in the
public spotlight
Prevent youth
recruitment
Local power

8. General Values
THE STRATEGIC BEGGINING

9. 1. Take conscience of the problem
Awareness Recognize Confront

10. 2. Fight fear
“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself”
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Political
Fear
Physical
Fear

11. 3. Security as a Democratic value
Economic
Freedom
Security
Individual
Freedom
Social
Freedom
Political
Freedom

12. 4. Security and Social Cohesion
Security
Social
Cohesion
State
presence
Job
creation
Business

13. 5. Investment and social cohesion
• Employment
• Tax collection
Investment
Social
Expenditure
• Education
• Health
• Infrastructure
• Conditional Cash
Transfers
• Housing
• Quality of life
• Opportunities
• Entrepreneurial Spirit
Social
Cohesion

14. 6. Security, investment, social cohesion
Security
Generates trust
Boosts
investment
Is the anchor of
peace
Is the base for
justice
Investment
Mobilizes
capital
Generates
employment
Incubates
innovation
Triggers
entrepreneurial
spirit
Social
Cohesion
Education with
quality
Health
Universal
coverage
Access to
finance
Quality Jobs

15. 7. Social cohesion as Security Validator
Social
results
Social
investment
Tax Collections
Investment
Security

16. 8. People coalition before political coalition
Listen to the
people
Define a
deliverable
message
Communicate
effectively a
vision
Be in close
contact with
the people
Identify with
people needs
Create the
popular base

17. 9. Leadership values
Kotter
Honesty
Energy
Competence
Moss Kanter
Consistency
Congruence
Competence
Caring
Lincoln
Get out of the office
Communicate
Talk to people
Persevere
Preach a vision
Strong Hand
Uribe
Discipline
Dedication
Responsibility
Love

18. Operational essence
THE PATH TO SUCCESS

19. 10. Credibility
Transparency
Leadership
Efficiency
Effectiveness

20. 11. Macro Vision – Micro Management
Macro Vision
Objectives
Strategy
Tools
Impact
Micro Management
Detailed follow up
Tactic
implementation
People claims
Exercise as
commander in chief

21. 12. Lead the armed forces
Guide
Commander
in Chief
Support
Demand
Lead by
example

22. 13. Involve all the forces
Criminal penetration Disputes among forces
Weakening of State
authority
Strengthening of organized
crime
Risks of not
integral
involvement

23. 14. People participation
Security
Councils
Informants
Rewards Denouncement

24. 15. The people participation effect
Trust and love in
the armed forces
Transparency Power People

25. 16. Security Financial Sustainability
Positive
externalities for
the Private Sector
Financial
Controls
Sustainability Taxes
Increase in
investment
Economic
activities
triggered :
Tourism, Mining,
Infrastructure,
Agriculture

26. 17. Speech consistency
No
humanitarian
exchange
Terrorism Vs
Insurgents
Speech Military
Rescue
Same speech
in every
audience
Confront
terrorist
supporters
Terrorist
threat Vs
Conflict

27. 18. Truth and anticipation
Provides
Confidence
Transparency
Truth and
anticipation
Eliminates the
FOG of War
Social respect in
the armed forces

28. Implementation
THE STRATEGY INTO PRACTICE

29. 19. Assume Responsibility
Commander
in Chief
Credibility
Armed Forces
are motivated
Political
Transparency
Fire the
commander the
FENIX Lesson

30. 20. Promise dedication not results
Not to
overpromise
Dedication
Not false
expectations
Demonstrate
hard work
Find options
constantly

31. 21. Intelligence
Intelligence
All forces cooperate Clear objectives
Operational
Human Technical
Results
Emanuel FENIX Jaque Camaleon

32. 22. Counter-Intelligence
Prevent infiltration
Protect operational
information
Distract the
enemy
Achieve Results

33. 23. Rewards
Informant
Network
Connectivity Collaboration
Monday of
reward

34. 24. Early Victories
Road
Security
Victories
Fence
Cartagena
Kidnap
rapid
response
Citizen
optimism
Presidential
direct
involvement

35. 25. Persevere in times of crisis
Governor
Gaviria
and
Gilberto
Echeverri
Nogal Bomb
11 State
Senators
Killed
FENIX
Diplomatic
effects

36. 26. Do not yield to pressure
Own options
Military Rescue
Jaque
Araujo
Unilateral
release
Without
bargain
Humanitarian
gesture
Justice, Peace
and Reparation
Demobilization
Cooperation
Protection

37. The impact factor
SECRETS BEHIND RESULTS

38. 27. Give Credit
Share success
Do not delegate
failure
Credit
Process
Motivate results
Praise sacrifice
and hard work

39. 28. International Cooperation
Cooperation
Military
Support
Political
Support
Intelligence
Support
Development
Assistance
Economic
and Trade as
validators of
Confidence

40. 29. Illicit drugs
Illicit crops
Eradication
Substitution
Prevention
Family
Education
School
Education
Social
values
Consumption
Decriminalize
Administrative
sanctions
Addiction
Medical
treatment
Rehabilitation
Micro-
Trafficking
Criminal
sanction
Strong
Punishmen
t
Cartels
Decisive
confrontation
Asset
Confiscation
Anti-Money
Laundering

41. 30. Dismantle criminals
Money
supply
Dismantle
Weapons
supply
Action Infiltration
Punishment

42. 31. Expose the Criminals
No where to
hide
No where
to run
Don Diego
Informants
aware

43. 32. Prevent young recruitment
Education
Prevention
Culture
Vocational Sports
Labor
opportunities

44. 33. Local Power
Governors
Local
Power
Mayors
Citi
Councils
State
Senators
Private
Sector
NGO’s
Community

45. Final statement

46. Historical changes took place
 Leadership, governance based on citizen support and political Will, helped
built significant historical changes in strategic sectors:
 Reform the oil and gas sector:
1. Colombia is close to produce 1 million barrels per day from 250.000 in 2002.
2. Ecopetrol Reform
3. Created the National Hydrocarbon Agency
 Reform the Telecom Sector:
1. Restructure the Colombian Telecommunications Agency
 Reform the Colombian Social Security Agency
 More than 2000 criminals were extradited
 Paramilitary structures were dismantled
 FARC suffered its biggest historical defeats
 Colombia experienced its largest historical FDI flows
 Biggest historical reduction in illicit crops
 More than 10 FTA’s signed and negotiated
 Largest historical health and education coverage
 Largest historical credit expansion
 Largest historical tourism flows to the country

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