In this episode of Today's Battlegrounds, H.R. McMaster and Iván Duque Márquez discuss the implications of Colombia’s runoff election, the threats associated with narcotics and transnational crime, and how the United States and Colombia can strengthen security and confidence in democratic institutions.

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ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Iván Duque Márquez was the 34th President of the Republic of Colombia. President Duque served from 2018 to 2022 after a career that combined public service, economic policy, and international development. Before entering the presidency, he worked for more than a decade at the Inter-American Development Bank and later served in Colombia’s Senate. During his administration, he emphasized security, counter-narcotics, economic growth, and democratic governance. He gained international recognition for granting legal protection to nearly two million Venezuelan migrants fleeing authoritarian rule and economic collapse. Since leaving office, President Duque has continued his work as a scholar and public policy leader through fellowships at major universities and the establishment of the Iván Duque Center for Prosperity and Freedom, making him one of the most influential voices on democratic resilience and hemispheric security.

H.R. McMaster is the Fouad and Michelle Ajami Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. He is also the Bernard and Susan Liautaud Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute and lecturer at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business. He was the 25th assistant to the president for National Security Affairs. Upon graduation from the United States Military Academy in 1984, McMaster served as a commissioned officer in the United States Army for thirty-four years before retiring as a Lieutenant General in June 2018.