National Intelligence Directorate (Colombia)

National Intelligence Directorate
Dirección Nacional de Inteligencia
DNI
Agency overview
FormedNovember 4, 2011; 13 years ago (2011-11-04)
Preceding agency
JurisdictionGovernment of Colombia
EmployeesClassified
Annual budgetClassified
Agency executive
Parent agencyPresidency of Colombia
Websitewww.dni.gov.co

The National Intelligence Directorate (Spanish: Dirección Nacional de Inteligencia; DNI) is the main intelligence agency of Colombia. It is the successor organization to the Administrative Department of Security (DAS) which was tasked with providing internal and external intelligence, law enforcement and immigration control.[1] The agency reports solely to the President of Colombia, and is currently led by retired Admiral Rodolfo Amaya.[2]

In November 2011, President Juan Manuel Santos announced that he would be dissolving the Administrative Department of Security after the agency went through various scandals involving agents spying on politicians and judges.[3] Aside from the scandals, the creation of the DNI was incentivised by the need to revamp the intelligence services, and decentralise power among the security and intelligence institutions in Colombia. The DNI unlike its predecessor organisation the DAS, does not take part in Law Enforcement activities, nor does it control the border and immigration services. Its main task is Intelligence both domestic and abroad, and counter intelligence.[4] Its strategic vision was laid out in 2011, with the aim of becoming a leader in the production and analysis of strategic intelligence and counter intelligence in the national and international realm by 2019.[5] One practical aspect towards reaching this goal has been to diversify its recruitment pool by providing more professional career pathways for individuals with no military or police background.[6]

  1. ^ "Gobierno anuncia la Dirección Nacional de Inteligencia". Elespectador.com (in Spanish). 4 November 2011. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  2. ^ "DNI, la agencia secreta que ayudó en entrega de ex ficha de Maduro" (in Spanish). El Tiempo. 31 March 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  3. ^ "Colombia dissolves scandal-hit intelligence agency". In.reuters.com. Archived from the original on February 3, 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  4. ^ "Colombian president dissolves intelligence service". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  5. ^ "Misión y Visión". Dni.gov.co. Retrieved 2017-07-31.
  6. ^ "Agencia que reemplaza al DAS no será policial". Elpais.com. Retrieved 31 July 2017.