Issues that marked Colombian President Petro’s visit to the US

By Sabrina Martín

The President of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, traveled to the United States to meet with Joe Biden and the main political leaders of that country.

Congress and The White House were the scenes of the most important meetings in which Petro, besides talking about Colombia, seems to have become a special envoy of Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s president.

After eight months in the Presidency, Biden and Petro met to discuss at least four main topics: the new approach to drug policy, “total peace” for Colombia, climate change and energy transition, and Venezuela.

Upon leaving the meeting at the White House, Petro announced that Biden welcomed his proposal to exchange public debt for climate action and stated that he was committed to land reform in Colombia.

They also discussed the fight against drug trafficking and the eventual lifting of sanctions on Venezuela.

“We were talking about several crucial issues, the first, undoubtedly, the issue of the climate crisis and how to address the construction of a green economy throughout the Americas.”

“There we talked about the Amazon rainforest, the US government committed US$500 million for the revitalization fund, and there we talked about the possibility of exchanging debt for climate action,” he said.

With the fight against drug trafficking and his change in anti-drug policy, Petro said he requested more economic aid.

He stated that “more boats, more launches, and more drones” are needed.”

However, he maintained his criticism of what he considers “the punitive policy of the United States,” which, in his opinion, “has only served to create more violence and impoverish the peasantry”.

Finally, Petro, as expected, decided to mediate in favor of Nicolás Maduro to the point that he asked for Venezuela to join the Inter-American System of Human Rights, and he suggested the eventual lifting of US sanctions.

COLOMBIA, “THE CORNERSTONE”

During the meeting, Biden highlighted Colombia and described it as “the cornerstone of the continent.^

However, Colombian Foreign Minister Álvaro Leyva Durán distorted the comment.

“‘You are the cornerstone,’ says President Biden to President Petro.”

“Colombia flies very high. I am honored to be Chancellor of someone who makes a difference in moments of planetary definitions.”

“We are beginning to be a model of new developments in the world. Homeland awake”, said Leyva on Twitter.

Social networks did not forgive him for those statements and quickly shared the fragment in which Biden describes Colombia as one of his main allies.

“Colombia is the key to the hemisphere (…) -and- “a cornerstone” was the actual phrase of the US president.

HIS TIME IN CONGRESS

During his visit to Congress, Petro met with representatives of the Republican and Democratic parties to discuss key issues such as rural and health reform.

In addition, he met with the well-known congresswoman María Elvira Salazar, who has been a harsh critic of the Colombian president.

“Finally, face to face with President Petro. I asked him many questions and left the meeting without answers, very disappointed.”

“I am more worried than ever about the future of Colombia!” she wrote on her official Twitter account.

“He rambles, and that is what socialists do: Fidel, Maduro, Ortega, they have always done that very thing in front of a journalist, or in this case, a congresswoman”, she pointed out.

Salazar assured that Petro evaded her doubts on whether he was coming to send Joe Biden a message about Venezuela and if he intended to impose a regime like that of that country in Colombia.

After finishing his trip to the United States, Petro arrived in Colombia.

In one of his first statements, he had already admitted to an alliance with Nicolás Maduro to attack the ELN supposedly.

However, evidence has repeatedly revealed that the guerrilla group would have protection agreements with the Venezuelan regime.

With information from LGI