A Conversation With

When she graduated with a Mass Communications degree (journalist) from the Externado University of Colombia in 1994, young Jhasmin Mora Cuellar knew exactly what she wanted to do in life. That’s why, two years later, she enrolled in the General José María Córdova Military Academy, where she graduated as a [ … ]

On August 9, 2021, Lieutenant Colonel Andrea Silvana Díaz Bohórquez marked a milestone in the history of the Colombian Air Force, by becoming the first woman pilot-in-command of a C-130 Hercules aircraft. Lt. Col. Díaz, who has 22 years of military service, spoke with Diálogo about her achievements and her [ … ]

Five thousand nautical miles and nearly 30 days at sea — that’s the distance and time it took a Chilean submarine to travel from its home base in Talcahuano, Chile, to Naval Base Point Loma in San Diego, California, to participate in the Diesel-Electric Submarine Initiative (DESI) with the U.S. [ … ]

The SS Carrera, a Chilean Navy Scorpène-class submarine, participated in the Diesel-Electric Submarine Initiative (DESI) exercise at Naval Base Point Loma in San Diego, California, which took place from June to September 2021. DESI is a U.S. Navy exercise with South American countries that supports their operations with diesel-electric submarines [ … ]

Diálogo visited the installations of Joint Task Force Bravo (JTF-Bravo) in Honduras to interview their commander, U.S. Army Colonel Steven E. Gventer. Diálogo: What are your goals as JTF-Bravo commander? U.S. Army Colonel Steven Gventer, JFT-Bravo commander: My goal is to ensure that, coming out of COVID-19, we build a climate that [ … ]

The Colombian Military Forces’ Joint Special Operations Command (CCOES, in Spanish) began operations in April 2009. Its commander, Colombian Army Major General Jorge Isaac Hoyos Rojas, spoke with Diálogo during a visit to the CCOES headquarters in Bogotá in August 2021, to discuss the command’s mission and interagency work, among [ … ]

Diálogo met with Colonel Henri van Axeldongen, commander of the Suriname National Army at the South American Defense Conference held in Miami, Florida on August 17-18, where he spoke about regional challenges, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the effects of the space domain on national security. Diálogo: What are the greatest [ … ]

The Command Against Drug Trafficking and Transnational Threats (CONAT, in Spanish) began operations in Colombia on February 26, 2021, as an elite force consisting of 7,000 men and women of the Colombian Army to lead the fight against armed groups, carry out interdiction operations against narcotrafficking organizations, conduct strategic eradication [ … ]

In July 2021, Colombia launched the Unified Action Acceleration Plan (PAAU, in Spanish) to strengthen interinstitutional coordination and reinforce the State’s presence in some areas of the country, with the aim of bringing social investment, low-complexity public works, tools to improve coexistence in these areas, and security. Diálogo spoke with [ … ]

Diálogo interviewed Colombian Army General Luis Fernando Navarro Jiménez, commanding general of the Colombian Military Forces, during the South American Defense Conference 2021, in Miami, Florida, August 17-18.  Diálogo: What are the main regional challenges that South American countries must overcome together with the United States? Colombian Army General Luis [ … ]