300-plus U.S. troops join Colombia drills through Nov. 11

More than 300 U.S. soldiers are taking part in joint training with Colombian forces at the Tolemaida military fort in Nilo, Cundinamarca, in an exercise that runs until Nov. 11, Colombian media reported this week.

The drills, called Vanguardia del Sur 2026, are the fourth edition of the exercise in Colombia and start their field activities on Friday, Oct. 30, about 16 days of training from the first arrivals on Oct. 27.

The Defence Ministry announced the exercise on Monday, Oct. 26, according to El Espectador, a Bogotá daily, and the English-language Rio Times. Pulzo, citing Caracol Television, attributed the announcement to the Colombian Army. The outlets agree on the troop numbers, the location and the dates, but none gives an exact head count.

The training covers the fight against drug trafficking, illegal mining and the illegal use of drones, the reports said. The Colombian side is the army’s No. 1 Counter-Narcotics Battalion, and the U.S. side is light infantry from a mountain battalion.

The first event is a simulated aeromedical evacuation from Tolemaida to the Escuela de Caballería, a cavalry school in Bogotá. Pulzo said the scenario tests how medical staff give first aid to an injured person in an area where mines are suspected.

The Rio Times said the Colombian government describes the exercise as training and not a combat operation. It also reported that foreign troop transit would normally require Senate permission under Article 173 of the constitution, and that it was not clear whether the Senate had approved this deployment. The other two outlets did not address that question.

The drills come as President Abelardo de la Espriella, in office since Aug. 7, moves Colombia closer to Washington. Pulzo reported that his government formalized Colombia’s entry into the Shield of the Americas, a security initiative backed by U.S. President Donald Trump. None of the three outlets reported a reaction from the president or other officials to the exercise itself.

The deployment follows other recent changes in Colombian foreign policy, including the opening of an embassy in Jerusalem, which drew condemnation earlier this month. Colombia’s neighbour Venezuela has also seen unrest, with thousands marching to demand elections on Oct. 24.

For Canadians, Colombia is a free-trade partner, and the Canadian government publishes travel advice for the country on travel.gc.ca. None of the reports suggested the exercise affects travel advisories or Canadian personnel.

The exercise is scheduled to end Nov. 11. Via El Espectador, Pulzo and the Rio Times.

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