U.S. President Barack Obama announced on Wednesday that National Security Advisor General James Jones will head a presidential delegation to Colombia to attend the inauguration of Colombian President-elect Juan Manuel Santos on August 7.
The designation of such a high level official to represent Obama at the ceremony is viewed in Colombia as a recognition of the importance Washington attaches to the bilateral relationship with the Andean nation.
On June 24 Obama called Santos to congratulate him on his electoral victory. According to a White House statement, they “discussed their shared desire to deepen the strong relationship between the United States and Colombia across a wide range of bilateral, hemispheric, and global issues.”
The White House also announced that the U.S. Ambassador in Bogota, William Brownfield, will join Jones on his trip to Colombia.
