Colombia's Armed Forces commander, General Freddy Padilla, started a three-day trip to Washington Tuesday with a visit to the Pentagon. Padilla aims to strengthen ties between the Colombian and U.S. military.
Padilla's trip comes weeks after the two countries signed a controversial military pact that will allow the U.S. to use Colombian military bases and civilian airports.
According to the Colombian authorities, Padilla's visit is to "strengthen friendly and cooperative ties betwee the Armed Forces of Colombia and the United States."
The Colombian general was received at the Pentagon by the chairman of the U.S. chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Michael Mullen.
During his three-day visit, Padilla will also visit the Center of Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank, where he will privately meet with members of the organization.
Following his trip to Washington, the Colombian general will visit military bases in Norfolk, VA, San Antonio, TX, El Paso, TX, and Monterrey, CA.
