MIAMI — Colombian President-elect Abelardo De la Espriella announced on Monday that he had selected a retired major general with more than 35 years of experience as his new defense minister.
De la Espriella, who is due to take office on Aug. 7, announced in a statement that he had tasked Jorge Eduardo Mora López with gaining control of “every corner of the country.”
Mora López, who was born in Cúcuta, released a public statement to De la Espriella accepting the appointment to lead the defense sector.
“We are going to recover every inch of our territory so that security becomes the bridge to social progress,” Mora López wrote, according to the statement.
The Colombian Congress does not have to approve the president’s cabinet ministers.
Mora López’s experience includes serving as the special forces commander and as the director of the Joint Intelligence and Counterintelligence Department of the Military Forces and the Joint Strategic Department against Transnational Threats.
De la Espriella’s appointments also include Miguel Gómez Martínez, as minister of finance; Rodrigo Lara, as minister of the interior; and Fabio Arjona, as minister of environment and sustainable development.
Related social media posts
Hoy le entrego el Ministerio de Defensa a un hombre que ha dedicado su vida a servir a Colombia con honor, disciplina y lealtad.
— Abelardo De La Espriella (@ABDELAESPRIELLA) July 6, 2026
El Mayor General Jorge Eduardo Mora López @generalmora11 representa el reconocimiento de toda una Nación a nuestros soldados y policías, y el… pic.twitter.com/baH7aWWHAE
Señor Presidente @ABDELAESPRIELLA, recibo esta designación con el honor y la humildad de quien lleva tres generaciones familiares de servicio a la Patria en la sangre. Mis venas son camufladas y mi compromiso con usted y con Colombia es inquebrantable. Bajo su liderazgo como… pic.twitter.com/rHUIae1TqU
— General Jorge Mora (@generalmora11) July 6, 2026
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