Speaker
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Colombia has faced decades of insecurity, with insurgency and organized crime deeply intertwined in its political landscape for over 50 years. The evolving nature of these threats—rooted in complex economic and social factors—now includes connections with transnational crime networks and proxy conflicts influenced by shifting geopolitical dynamics. At the same time, organized crime has expanded into terrorist networks and irregular warfare structures in ways that disrupt democracy and harm communities. What are the national and international policy options to confront these security threats? What strategies can decision-makers pursue in a rapidly changing geopolitical and geoeconomic environment? From 2011 to 2015, Juan Carlos Pinzón served as Colombia’s Minister of Defense, leading transformative military operations against insurgent groups like the FARC and ELN, modernizing the armed forces, and setting the stage for a landmark peace process. In this talk, he will share his experiences and perspectives on confronting security challenges through military and diplomatic strategies.
About the Speaker
Juan Carlos Pinzón is currently a John L. Weinberg/Goldman Sachs & Co. visiting professor at Princeton University. He was previously Colombia's Minister of Defense and ambassador to the United States on two occasions. He served as ambassador to the United States between 2021 and 2022, celebrating 200 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries and between 2015 and 2017 strengthening the bilateral relationship. Previously, during 2018 and 2021 he was president of ProBogotá, a private non-profit entity for the promotion of public policies and long-term strategic projects for Colombia's capital region. During the period from 2011 to 2015 he served as Colombia's youngest Minister of Defense at a critical moment in the country's history.
In addition to these positions, he has also held other positions such as Chief of Staff to the President of Colombia from 2010 to 2011, Vice Minister of Defense from 2006 to 2009, Senior Advisor to the Executive Director of the World Bank from 2004 to 2006, Vice President of the Colombian Banking Association from 2003 to 2004, Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Finance from 2000 to 2002. In the 2018 national elections he served as presidential and vice-presidential candidate.
Juan Carlos Pinzón is an Economist from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, with a master's degree in economics from the same institution, and a master degree in Public Policy from Princeton University and Honoris Causa in National Security and Defense from the Colombian War College. Pinzón has also taken advanced courses in strategic studies at Johns Hopkins University, science and technology policy at Harvard University, and smart cities at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
Finally, he has several awards and over 60 decorations such as the Grand Cross of the Order of Boyacá and the Distinguished Public Service Medal from the U.S. Department of Defense.
Pinzón serves in multiple corporate and non for profit boards.