MIAMI —
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos visited U.S. Southern Command here April 25 to thank the command's personnel for their steadfast support to his country's security efforts.
During the visit, Santos presented Southcom with his country's Orden de San Carlos (Order of San Carlos) Medal for the command's unwavering support for Colombia's peace and security throughout the years.
The Colombian government established the decoration in 1954 to recognize civilian and military recipients of Colombian and foreign nationality for “distinguished service to the nation, especially in the area of international relations.”
U.S.-Colombian Partnership
Santos praised the strong cooperation and joint efforts between Colombia and the U.S., particularly through Southcom. Colombia is and will remain the strongest U.S. strategic partner in the region, he said.
Santos' administration has implemented a national strategy aimed at ending more than 50 years of internal conflict, disrupting transnational criminal groups operating within its borders, and improving the safety and quality of life of its people.
The Colombian president reached a landmark peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of
