Translated by Esteban Rivera Velez
Evolution of GAULA groups
The Program for the Defense of Personal Freedom has its own origin on Decree 1465 of September 1st, 1995, which creates the "Presidential Program for the fight against Kidnapping", inside the Presidential Administrative Department, seeking with this, a priority within State Policies and appointing for its Direction a functionary reporting straight to the President of the Republic.
After this, the Act 282 of June 6, 1996, by which specific measures are dictated to eradicate crimes against personal freedom, specially extortion and kidnapping.
This Act creates the National Council against Kidnapping and other crimes against personal freedom, CONASE (in Spanish), designates the functions of the Program DIrector, creates the GAULA groups, which replace the UNASE groups, and orders the Consejo Superior de la Judicatura (Council in charge of Judicial Advisory) to create the posts of Attorney Delegates to each group and other personnel required to perform these tasks.
This Act also creates the Fund for Personal Freedom (FONDELIBERTAD in Spanish), which specific objective is to contribute with the needed resources for the payment of rewards and supply expenses for the operation of the GAULA groups, which cannot be done by the institutions that conform them (that is Police, Army, Navy, DAS,
FiscalĂa and CTI, depending on the group).
This antikidnapping program is carried out based on 14 Rural GAULAs (run by the Army) and 7 Urban GAULAs (run by the Police). Based on the current nneds, these number has increased up to today's total of 18 Rural and 10 Urban GAULAs.
In mid-1998 with the new Presidential mandate, the Decree 1182 of June 29, 1999 modifies the structure of the Presidential Administrative Department, switching the "Presidential Program for the fight against Kidnapping" to the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice and Law.
But the increasing number of kidnappings, together with the need for a more solid and dynamical program, the National Government, by Decree 1512 of 2000 switches the Program to the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defense
This last change disbanded some administrative posts seeking a better performance and financial efficiency to fight Kidnapping and Extortion. Also the CONASE was given more authority, because now is conformed by the Minister of Defense, the General Commander of the Armed Forces, the Commanders of GAULA groups (Army and Navy), the National Police Director, the Attorney General and the Director of DAS.
LINK:
(On the link provided, on page 9, there's a very good illustration of the Hierarchy of the CONASE and its functions)