Iván Velásquez Is Facing His Toughest Challenge Yet
As defense minister, the former anti-corruption crusader is challenging criminal groups—and the military tasked with confronting them.
This article is a preview of Americas Quarterly’s upcoming special report, “What Lula Means for Latin America,” to be published in late April. BOGOTÁ – As an anti-corruption crusader, Iván Velásquez faced down drug lord Pablo Escobar, exposed ties between Colombian politicians and death squads, and was declared persona non grata in Guatemala after helping to put that country’s president behind bars. But his current assignment as Colombia’s defense minister may prove his most challenging post. Velásquez accepted the job, which involves managing the 481,000-member armed...
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