De la Espriella Unveils New Military High Command in Barranquilla

President Abelardo de la Espriella announced Colombia's new military high command at the Batallón Paraíso in Barranquilla, naming Major General Erick Rodríguez Aparicio as General Commander of the Armed Forces and Major General José Bertulfo Soto Sánchez as Army Commander, alongside five other senior appointments across the Army, Navy, Air Force, and War College. 'To win this war against criminality it is essential to surround ourselves with the best soldiers,' de la Espriella said. Analysts noted the new command inherits a military stretched by a budget shortfall and a resurgent Clan del Golfo, which has grown from roughly 5,500 members in 2022 to about 10,000 in 2025 and expanded its territorial presence from 145 to around 310 municipalities.