Colombian defense minister dies of Covid-19 complications: official

Colombia has reported more than two million Covid-19 cases including almost 52,000 deaths

Colombia's Defense Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo died Tuesday of complications stemming from Covid-19, the country's president said.

"Carlos Holmes Trujillo died at dawn today, after complications in his health while he was battling Covid-19," President Ivan Duque said in a video posted on Twitter.

Trujillo, 69, had first been hospitalized January 11.

Four days later, he was taken into intensive care at a Bogota military hospital suffering "acute lung function deterioration," the defense ministry said in a statement.

Trujillo has been replaced by Fernando Navarro, who was previously head of the Colombian armed forces.

Colombia has reported more than two million Covid-19 cases, according to Johns Hopkins University, including almost 52,000 deaths.

The South American nation has kept its land and river borders closed for nearly a year and will keep them shut until at least March 1.