Alberto Rubio
The former ministers Ana Palacio and Fátima Báñez; the president of Globalia, Juan José Hidalgo; the journalist Carmen de Carlos and five high-ranking officers of the Spanish National Police were among the 12 Spanish and Colombian recipients of decorations from the government of Iván Duque, who received their awards from the hands of Ambassador Luis Guillermo Plata during the celebration of Colombia’s National Day.
Police decorations were the Distinguished Service Medal, while the National Order of Merit was awarded to civilians in different grades. Luis Guillermo Plata explained that these awards symbolise the recognition of “the professional and personal merits of these people, who have contributed to the strengthening of relations between the two countries”.
The ambassador described these relations as “excellent” and stressed that they are at “a very high level”. Among other examples, he referred to the visit of President Ivan Duque to Spain and the visit of King Felipe V I to Barranquilla, in addition to the establishment of the High Level Bilateral Commission, and the signing of agreements on Reciprocal Promotion of Investment, on Security and Defence, and Reciprocal Protection of Classified Information, among others.
He also expressed his satisfaction at the constant increase in Spanish cultural and commercial relations as well as investment in Colombia, “where Spain is already the second largest foreign shareholder”, with the presence of more than 800 companies.
Plata also used his speech to announce, “with nostalgia”, his farewell to the post he has held for the past 17 months and which he will leave on 5 August. He defined the year and a half that he has been at the head of the Colombian Mission as “intense work and brilliant results”, among which he cited those related to police cooperation, which has led to the granting of “16 extraditions, almost one per month, as well as 35 joint operations against drug trafficking networks, human trafficking, etc”.
The Embassy will be headed, as Chargé D’Affairs, by the Minister Counsellor, Victoria Pauwels, until the appointment of a new ambassador by the government of Gustavo Petro, who will take office on 7 August.
