It’s a good idea to visit the Colombian Defense Ministry’s website every once in a while to view their latest “Operational Results” report (PDF). You get a long powerpoint presentation with the official versions of statistics about the country’s security situation.
You also find some really shocking numbers. Take combat deaths, for instance.
Between 2002 and the end of March 2010:
* 13,653 members of “subversive groups” have been killed.
* 1,611 members of “illegal self-defense groups” were killed between 2002 and 2006 (source is an older version of the same report – PDF).
* 1,080 members of “criminal gangs” have been killed since 2007.
* 4,571 members of the security forces were killed in acts of service.
MAMA Radio for more