Óscar Naranjo served as Vice President of Colombia from January 2017 to August 2018. On 17 May 2007, he was appointed General of the National Police, a position which he held until 12 June 2012.  

In October 2012, President Santos appointed him as plenipotentiary negotiator for the Colombian government in the peace talks with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). In 2013, he joined the Board of Directors of the Good Government Foundation (Fundación Buen Gobierno), and from January to November 2015, he served as High Adviser for Post-Conflict, Human Rights and Security for the Administrative Department of the Presidency of the Republic.