After nearly a year at the helm of the United States Embassy in Colombia, the chargé d’affaires and top representative of that country in the absence of a formally appointed ambassador, John McNamara, will leave his post on Feb. 13.
The transition — which will be assumed on an interim basis by Jarahn Hillsman, the current minister-counselor of the diplomatic mission — marks the close of an intense and complex chapter in the bilateral relationship between Washington and Bogota, characterized by political tensions, differences over public policy, and, above all, critical diplomatic communication to keep the channel of dialogue open between the two nations.
McNamara, a career diplomat born in New York with nearly 20 years of service in the State Department, took office as U.S. chargé d’affaires in Bogota on Feb. 1, 2025, at a particularly delicate moment for relations between the two countries. His appointment coincided with a phase of open tensions between Colombian President Gustavo Petro and U.S. President Donald Trump, whose personal and political relationship put traditional mechanisms of cooperation between regional allies to the test.
Although he was not an ambassador with full plenipotentiary rank — since the official post has remained vacant since 2022 due to delays in nominations and processes in the U.S. Senate — McNamara became the central figure in managing differences between the governments, seeking to balance Washington’s interests with Bogota’s political and diplomatic sensitivities.
In that role, his cordial style and constant dialogue stood out as key elements in preserving stable lines of communication amid crises and recurring frictions.
John McNamara to be replaced at US embassy in Colombia
Since his arrival, McNamara faced unusual situations in the Colombia–U.S. relationship. In 2025, communication between the leaders of the two nations deteriorated to unprecedented levels: Trump’s controversial public statements toward Petro, which included harsh criticism and threats of economic and political measures, set off diplomatic alarms and put historic alliances at risk on strategic issues such as the fight against drug trafficking and regional security.
In July of that year, for example, McNamara was called back to Washington for consultations amid a verbal escalation with the Colombian government, an unusual gesture that, while not constituting a formal break, did demonstrate the level of friction reached between the two governments.
His return to Colombia after those consultations reaffirmed his central role in managing a relationship that, despite the adversities, Washington described as an “essential strategic partner.”
Even so, the diplomatic tone that characterized McNamara helped ease several points of friction and maintain a course of cooperation in areas of shared interest, such as the fight against drug trafficking, irregular migration, and trade ties. On multiple occasions, the chargé d’affaires held meetings with Colombian authorities — from national officials to local mayors — to reinforce these channels, emphasizing that, despite differences at the highest political levels, practical cooperation remained indispensable.
The most recent turning point came with the meeting between Presidents Petro and Trump at the White House this week, an encounter that — according to the protagonists themselves — introduced signs of easing after months of exchanges of public criticism. Trump himself later described the meeting as “very good” and highlighted progress in cooperation, even as sensitive issues such as possible sanctions remained under discussion.
Nota de prensa
Después de una larga y distinguida carrera en el servicio público, John McNamara ha decidido retirarse del Departamento de Estado. El señor McNamara concluirá su labor como Encargado de Negocios de la Embajada el viernes 13 de febrero de 2026.
Ha sido un honor… pic.twitter.com/MaDTmufJdK
— US Embassy Bogota (@USEmbassyBogota) February 6, 2026
A farewell with an eye on the future
On Feb. 13, McNamara will leave his post at the embassy in Bogota, and Jarahn Hillsman will assume the role of chargé d’affaires on an interim basis. Hillsman, also a member of the U.S. Senior Foreign Service, has extensive diplomatic experience in the region and on other continents, having served in posts in Honduras, Ecuador, El Salvador, Bolivia, and Equatorial Guinea, among others. In Washington, he has held positions in economic and trade areas, giving him a broad perspective to manage complex multilateral issues.
Hillsman’s arrival is interpreted, both in diplomatic circles and among political analysts, as an institutional transition rather than a radical shift in U.S. foreign policy toward Colombia. The U.S. administration seeks, amid a volatile international environment, to preserve channels of dialogue and cooperation on both traditional issues — security and the fight against drugs — and new areas of shared interest, such as trade and regional policy.
Nonetheless, McNamara’s departure also leaves a legacy that could set the tone for his successors: The importance of maintaining a diplomatic relationship based on mutual respect and constant communication, even when high-level political differences appear insurmountable.
In a context in which relations between the United States and its allies in Latin America face pressure from domestic policies and divergent agendas, that approach will likely be one of the main reference points for the new phase now opening.
With Hillsman assuming interim leadership of the mission and expectations of a permanent nomination still pending in Washington, the bilateral relationship enters a phase of continuity and adjustment.
How sensitive issues such as drug trafficking, migration, trade, and security are negotiated will be closely watched by analysts in both Bogota and Washington, especially amid the political and circumstantial changes that characterize the beginning of 2026.
Meanwhile, McNamara’s farewell will undoubtedly be a relevant page in the recent history of Colombian–U.S. diplomacy. What is certain is that his role as the top official at the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, beyond political differences, was always guided by the principle that diplomacy remains an art of dialogue and, above all, perseverance.