Military Leadership Changes in Colombia
This week has brought with it big changes for the Colombian defense establishment, in what may be an attempt to quell rising perceptions that the guerrilla groups are reversing gains made during the previous administration. On Monday, September 6, Juan Carlos Pinzón was sworn in as the new Minister of Defense, to whom President Juan Manuel Santos pledged an additional 1.5 trillion pesos ($838 million) to fund a “decisive step” toward defeating terrorists. Between 2006 and 2009, Pinzón served as Deputy Minister of Defense. In this role he led design of the consolidation policy of then President Uribe’s Democratic Security plan as well as the structural reform of the Defense Ministry. Until this point in the Santos administration, he served as the President’s Chief of Staff.
Aside from Pinzón, the entire military high command was replaced. All appointees have strong anti-narcotics and counter-insurgency backgrounds, echoing President Santos’ recent pledges to intensify the offensive campaign against the guerrillas.
Commander of the Armed Forces:
General Alejandro Navas will replace Admiral Edgar Cely as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces. General Navas is a counter-insurgency expert who, since August of last year, served as the Commander of the Army. During his career, General Navas also led the Joint Command for Special Operations, the Rapid Response Force and the Omega Joint Task Force - a group made up of 15,000 elite soldiers of the Army, Air Force and Navy with the main purpose of ensuring that the FARC’s strategic plan to take power and extend its influence failed. Navas has received over 50 decorations and medals including the medal for Distinguished Service six times. He is renowned for the support and admiration of his commanding troops.
Air Force Commander:
General Tito Saúl Pinilla will take over command of the Air Forces from Air General Julio Alberto González. Prior to this appointment he was the Commander of the Joint Command of Special Operations for the General Military Command. He has also led the Headquarters of Air Operations, served as the Director of Intelligence for the Joint Command Leadership, and was the commander of the Air Force’s Activities with the Omega Task Force.
Navy Commander:
Vice-Admiral Roberto García Márquez will now head the Navy and is considered an expert in the drug war. Prior to this appointment, García Márquez was the Deputy Chief of Joint Administrative Command of the Armed Forces. Between 2006 and 2009, he commanded the Naval Force of the Caribbean. Three months ago, while he was serving as Chief of Naval Operations, 12 tons of cocaine were seized, making it one of Colombia’s biggest wins against narcotrafficking in 2011.
Army Commander:
General Sergio Mantilla Sanmiguel, the former chief of the Caribbean Joint Command, has been appointed to fill the vacancy left by General Alejandro Navas as Commander of the Army. General Mantilla is a specialist in military resources and holds a Masters degree in Resource Management and National Strategy from the National Defense University in the United States. General Mantilla was also the commander of the Army’s 7th Division, is a specialist in military intelligence, and has received more than 40 medals over the course of the year.
This blog was written by CIP Intern Jessica Lippman