During an official visit to Peru, Colombian President-elect Juan Manuel Santos appointed current Colombian Defense Minister Gabriel Silva as the new Colombian ambassador to the U.S., reports El Espectador.
With Silva’s role as defense minister soon to be vacated, former Cambio Radical presidential candidate, German Vargas Lleras, and former senator, Rodrigo Rivera Salazar, are said to be strong front runners to take over the government’s defense portfolio.
Following his meeting with Peruvian President Alan Garcia in Lima, Santos named Silva as the new U.S. ambassador, while welcoming the co-operation in defense and security that Peru and Colombia have shared over recent times.
“Peru and Colombia are working together and like any relationship, it must be improved,” the Colombian president-elect said.
Santos also highlighted the recent economic growth in Peru, adding that the two neighbors had agreed to strengthen trade relations and economic investment.