Harold Bedoya Pizarro

Harold Bedoya Pizarro (December 30, 1938 in Cali, Colombia – May 2, 2017 in Hospital Militar de Bogota) was a General and Commander of the Colombian National Army. Bedoya also ran for President of Colombia in the 1998 and 2002 elections.

Bedoya's military training began at the Jose Maria Córdova Military Academy in September 1955 where he received the rank of Infantry Second lieutenant. In 1965 he attended the School of the Americas and trained in military intelligence, later returning in 1979 as a guest professor.

In 1987 he was promoted to Commander of the Seventh Brigade, Villavicencio where he developed the plan of dismantling the laboratories and eradication of illicit activities by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Spanish: Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia)(FARC). Three years later he was given the position of Commander of the Fourth Brigade in Medellín, Antioquia where he participated in anti-narcotic operations against drug kingpin Pablo Escobar. In 1991 Bedoya was given the position of Director of the Superior Military School in Bogotá, Cundinamarca. The following year he was again promoted to Deputy commander of the Northeastern Division, a position he held for three years before being finally promoted in 1996 to Commander-in-chief of the armed forces where he replaced Admiral Holdan Delgado, he held that position for one year.

On July 24, 1997, Bedoya was forced into retirement by then President Ernesto Samper due to his unwillingness to negotiate with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

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