Key Facts
—The appointment. President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella named retired Major General Jorge Eduardo Mora López as his defense minister, to take office on August 7, 2026.
—The man. Mora founded the military’s transnational-threats strike force and led De la Espriella’s campaign push in the border department of Norte de Santander.
—The stance. He has publicly called the outgoing government’s “Total Peace” and “Human Security” policies a failure, pointing to higher killings, kidnapping and extortion.
—The handover. Mora is the fourth cabinet pick announced, after Finance, Interior and Environment, and had been leading the defense transition team.
