Colombia's defense minister dies from COVID-19 at age 69 Colombian officials say Defense Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo has died from complications of COVID-19BOGOTA, Colombia -- Colombian Defense Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo, one of the country's most recognized conservative politicians, has died from complications of COVID-19. Trujillo became defense minister in November 2019, after serving as foreign minister. As a foreign minister, Trujillo backed U.S. efforts to force Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro out of office by supporting his rival Juan Guaidó. As defense minister, Trujillo led the country's efforts to tackle cocaine production, which had been growing rapidly since 2013 but stabilized the last two years. The defense minister was transferred to a military hospital in Bogota two days later and was placed in an intensive care unit and spent several days in an induced coma before dying.

Source: ABC News January 26, 2021 12:30 UTC