"Colombia is our main partner in the region, we hope to consolidate our strategic relationship to strengthen security in the hemisphere,” said Gen. Richardson.
Defense Minister Diego Molano Aponte, accompanied by General Luis Fernando Navarro, general commander of the Military Forces, met with General Laura J. Richardson, commander of the United States Southern Command on his first official visit to Colombia.
The meeting highlighted the importance of maintaining and strengthening the USCAP Joint Regional Security operation Plan, through which knowledge is exported to other nations. In the same way, it highlighted the joint efforts against drug trafficking as it is done with the Maritime and Naval Campaign Orion, a strategy through which efforts are coordinated with 38 countries in the region.
“The relationship with the Southern Command is based on cooperation to guarantee security and the joint work of the Colombian and U.S. Military Forces, uniting efforts against drug trafficking, strengthening the Military Forces and supporting development in terms of security for the hemisphere,” Minister Molano said.
For her part, General Richardson assured at the end of her meeting with Minister Molano that “Colombia is our main partner in the region, we hope to consolidate our strategic relationship to strengthen security in the hemisphere.”
The meeting in the same way led to speak about the priorities of the Defense Sector in accordance with the strategic work of the Colombian Military Forces in coordination with the United States administration.
This is how there is a Bilateral Working Group conducted by both countries, which met on November 9 and 10 in its XVII meeting. There issues such as support in strategic intelligence, cyber, gender and the exploration of new issues related to climate change and environmental protection were prioritized.
Thanks to the coordinated work conducted by Southern Command and the Colombian Military Forces, Colombian soldiers have access to training, advice and assistance in the different lines of command.
Another of the tasks that have been achieved in this joint work is the transformation of the Military Forces, projecting a long-term plan to strengthen Resources for the next 12 years.
Laura J. Richardson, Commander, Southern Command
Since 1986 she has been in the United States Army and in 2012 she was promoted as the first deputy commander general of the First Cavalry Division.
Richardson is the first woman in charge of U.S. Southern Command and the second woman to lead a combatant command in U.S. history, after retired General Lori Robinson, who led Northern Command between 2016 and 2018.
In her career, Richardson has served as an Army aviator, as a military assistant to the vice president, and as one of the Army's liaison officers to the U.S. Senate.
In 2017, she became the second-in-command of General Robert B. Abrams, when she was named FORSCOM's first woman-in-command in Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
She has been serving in support operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
She has been married for more than 30 years to another three-star lieutenant general, James Richardson, whom she met at aviation school and with whom she has a daughter.
Source: Defence Sector Communications Office – Ministry of National Defence
