Colombia’s president appoints controversial new spy chief

Colombia's President Abelardo de la Espriella recently appointed retired army General Jorge Andres Zuluaga as the new director of the National Intelligence Directorate (DNI), despite ongoing criminal investigations against him. Zuluaga, with over 30 years of experience in military intelligence, gained fame for his role in Operation Jaque, which rescued several high-profile individuals and soldiers.

Throughout his career, Zuluaga held various leadership positions, including deputy commander of the Charry Solano intelligence school, commander of the Regional Intelligence #5, and director of the National Army’s Technical Intelligence Center (CITEC).

Originally trained in the United States, Zuluaga served as a diplomatic aide at the Organization of American States. However, his tenure at CITEC came to an end in 2014 when prosecution investigators discovered he had obtained intelligence illegally from the clandestine unit "Andromeda," located in a Bogota internet café. In October 2024, a war crimes tribunal (JEP) ordered the Prosecutor General's Office to investigate Zuluaga for his alleged involvement in the extermination of the leftist Patriotic Union party during his tenure as CITEC director between 2004 and 2005. The investigation into potential charges is still pending.

Zuluaga, who joined the far-right Democratic Center party after being removed from the army, maintains that he acted within legal boundaries. Despite the controversy surrounding his appointment, Zuluaga remains confident in his ability to fulfill his new role as director of the DNI.