The Colombian authorities reported this Monday that the country will host a contingent of more than 300 U.S. military personnel, who will participate in a "multinational" exercise scheduled to start this Friday and last until November 11.
"Colombia will receive more than 300 soldiers from the United States to participate in the multinational exercise Vanguard of the South 2026, which will take place from October 27 to November 11 at the Tolemaida Military Fort, Cundinamarca," confirmed the Ministry of Defense.
In a detailed statement, the Ministry indicated that the U.S. personnel will begin to arrive in the country this Tuesday, although training activities will not start until three days later, "with an aeromedical evacuation from the Tolemaida Military Fort to the facilities of the Cavalry School in the city of Bogotá."
"The objective will be to verify the medical care and first aid procedures used by the medical personnel of both armies to assist a person who may have been injured in a mined area," stated the Ministry, which also plans to carry out other training in the following days.
Among the scheduled activities is the exchange of "military tactics, techniques, and procedures" between the Anti-Narcotics Battalion of the Colombian Armed Forces and light infantry soldiers from the U.S. Army Mountain Battalion.
Additionally, during these two weeks of U.S. troop presence, the Colombian Government aims to strengthen the capabilities of its armed forces to "confront the illegal exploitation of mining sites (and) respond to threats with unmanned aerial systems."