Gen. Donovan visits Colombia

U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Francis L. Donovan, the new commander of U.S. Southern Command, has completed his first official visit to Colombia after meetings with Defense Minister Jorge Eduardo Mora and the General Commander of the Colombian Military Forces, Gen. Erik Rodriguez Aparicio.

On August 27, Donovan traveled with Colombian defense leaders to the border area spanning southwest Colombia and northwest Ecuador, a key route used by violent transnational criminal groups for cocaine trafficking. The itinerary included a stop in San Lorenzo, Ecuador, for a trilateral Americas Counter Cartel Coalition meeting with Ecuadorian Defense Minister Gian Carlo Loffredo and the country’s Chief of Defense, Gen. Henry Delgado Salvador.

During engagements along the border, the delegations met with elite units from both nations and worked on a shared operational approach intended to disrupt cartel networks and leadership.

On August 28, Donovan visited Colombia’s National Training Center at Fuerte Militar Tolemaida for talks with senior military leaders focused on common security priorities.

Command officials framed the visit as part of efforts to deepen a long-standing defense partnership with Colombia and sustain coordinated pressure against narcoterrorist organizations, illicit migration networks, and malign influence across the region.

As A3C partners, the United States and Colombia emphasized ongoing cooperation to counter transnational criminal cartels that traffic illicit narcotics and undermine the sovereignty of countries throughout the Americas.

Officials also highlighted the activation of Joint Task Force–Western Hemisphere, described as bolstering A3C objectives through a comprehensive, multinational approach alongside allied and regional forces to advance security and stability in the hemisphere.