The president of Colombia, Iván Duque, affirmed this Friday that the principles of democracy are not are open to negotiationcalled Russia’s invasion of Ukraine a genocide and called the government of Nicolás Maduro a “disgraceful dictatorship.”
Duque, who addressed a joint session of the (bicameral) Dominican National Congress, said that the Maduro government has caused the “greatest migration crisis” recently in Latin America and that his country has welcomed more than 1.8 million Venezuelans.
The right-wing leader, who is making an official one-day visit to the Dominican Republic, warned that democracy in the region is threatened by the “demagoguery of populism” that “sells bread for today, but incubates hunger for tomorrow.”
“There are ‘tiny dictators’ who have enjoyed freedom by entering through democracy, only to arrive at the most horrendous dictatorships,” said the president, to standing applause on several occasions.
He also referred to world inflation and considered it necessary for the international economic authorities to recognize the independence of governments in this area, to prevent economic growth from ending up generating more inflation and more social deterioration.
Iván Duque on climate change
In this sense, he proposed that the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF) accept the cancellation of part of the external debts and the possibility of deferred payments in the time for Latin American countries to face the crisis caused by climate change.
“The migratory flows due to the climate crisis will be more painful and shocking than those caused by other causes,” said Duque.
The Colombian head of state highlighted the economic growth of the Dominican Republic, a country he described as a bastion of democracy in Latin America, in addition to assuring that his government, which is about to end, has lifted 1.4 million people out of monetary poverty and from absolute monetary poverty to 1.3 million.
On several occasions, he defended free enterprise before Dominican legislators as an expedited path to development and expressed that this sector can expand without “neglecting the fraternity and protection” of workers.
Before his speech before the National Congress, Iván Duque signed several agreements with the Dominican president, Luis Abinader, whom he called his friend.
? #Live | Words from the President @IvanDuque during the act of recognition of the Venezuelan community residing in the Dominican Republic. #AgendaInDominicanRepublic ???? https://t.co/WOdig5pAPr
– Colombia Presidency ?? (@infopresidencia) April 30, 2022
