COMANDER OF COLOMBIAN NATIONAL ARMY
MAJOR GENERAL JOSÉ BERTULFO SOTO SÁNCHEZ
Major General José Bertulfo Soto Sánchez is a leading officer of the Colombian National Army with more than three decades of service to the Nation. He entered the Army on January 8, 1989, to complete his mandatory military service and, in 1990, entered the Military Cadet School, where he graduated as a second lieutenant in 1992. Since then, he has developed his career exercising command at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels.
He holds a professional degree in Military Sciences and Business Administration, a Master's Degree in Defense and Hemispheric Security from the Inter-American Defense College (Washington D.C.), a Master's Degree in Strategy and Geopolitics, and is a Specialist in National Security and Defense from the Superior War College. He complements his training through studies in Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, the Military Paratrooper Combat Course, and a Parachuting Wings exchange program with the United States Army.
Throughout his career, he has led military units in regions of high complexity regarding law and order, including the departments of Arauca, Cauca, Putumayo, Caquetá, and Tolima, consolidating extensive experience in conducting military operations, troop leadership, strategic planning, and the protection of citizens. He has held, among others, the positions of Commander of the Infantry Battalion No. 33 Junín, Commander of Mobile Brigade No. 29, Commander of the Cauca Specific Command, Commander of the Education and Doctrine Command (CEDOC), Commander of the Fifth Division, and currently serves as Chief of the Force-Generating General Staff of the Military Forces.
His outstanding experience has been recognized with the highest military distinctions in the country, including the Order of Boyacá, the Medal for Distinguished Services in Law and Order (second time), the Order of Military Merit José Antonio Nariño (Commander grade), the Order of Military Merit José María Córdova (Grand Officer grade), the Military Medal To Valor, the Medal of the Ministry of National Defense, and the Medal for Meritorious Service in Military Intelligence Guardian of the Homeland, among others.
His background reflects a perfect balance between military operations experience, troop leadership, strategic thinking, and institutional management, contributing significantly to the strengthening of the capabilities of the Colombian National Army and the fulfillment of its constitutional mission to preserve sovereignty, independence, national territorial security, and the protection of all Colombians.
