Admiral Edgar Augusto Cely Nuñez was named commander of the Colombian Armed Forces Monday, replacing the outgoing Freddy Padilla, who resigned in late May after five years at the helm.
Colombian media expects the official announcement of Nuñez’s appointment, and other new military positions, to be made in the coming hours by Defense Minister Gabriel Silva.
Nuñez, who was born in Bucaramanga on July 24, 1952, graduated from Colombia’s Naval Academy in Cartagena in 1973, and later studied international relations and humanitarian law at Neva Grenada University in Bogota, before completing a post-graduate degree in security and defense at Bogota’s War College.
The admiral has had a distinguished career, holding many top naval and armed forces posts, including Naval Attache to the United Kingdom and representing Colombia on various international maritime committees.
Since December 7 2009, Nuñez has served as deputy commander of the Colombian Navy.
Outgoing commander, Freddy Padilla, notified Colombian President Alvaro Uribe of his resignation 20 days before it was announced publicly and is widely regarded as having been highly successful in his capacity as head of the military.
Padilla said that his reasons for resignation were to spend more time with his family and return to a peaceful civilian life after five years as head of the army.