- International Affairs
- Security & Defense
- US Foreign Policy
- Key Countries / Regions
- Military
- History
- Democracy
- Europe
- Determining America's Role in the World
- Revitalizing History
Join Iván Duque Márquez, former President of Colombia, and Hoover Senior Fellow, H.R. McMaster, as they discuss the implications of Colombia’s June 2026 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.
The conversation examines Colombia’s evolving security challenges, including narcotics trafficking, transnational criminal organizations, and the role of the armed forces in restoring security and the rule of law. Duque and McMaster also discuss U.S.-Colombia security cooperation, democratic resilience across the Americas, and political and economic developments in Venezuela and Cuba. They examine the influence of authoritarian powers in the Western Hemisphere and the importance of strengthening democratic institutions and regional partnerships in the face of growing geopolitical competition.
Recorded on June 29, 2026.
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 host of Today's Battlegrounds. He 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.
ABOUT THE SERIES
Each episode features H.R. McMaster, in a one-on-one conversation with a senior foreign government leader to allow Americans and partners abroad to understand how the past produced the present and how we might work together to secure a peaceful and prosperous future. “Listening and learning from those who have deep knowledge of our most crucial challenges is the first step in crafting the policies we need to secure peace and prosperity for future generations.”
