Colombian Foreign Minister Álvaro Leyva said Thursday that relations with the United States “they are having an excellent time” and that the work with the Government of Joe Biden “it is wonderful” despite some differences on immigration and drug trafficking issues.
Leyva met in Washington with the Undersecretary of the Department of State for Latin America, Brian Nichols, and with the White House Advisor for Latin America, Juan González, with whom he discussed the immigration crisis, the new Colombian policy on drug trafficking and the agrarian reform proposed by the Colombian president, Gustavo Petro.
“I think that, even if there are some tones in the differences or contrasting tones, the work is wonderful and I think that we are going towards a very good year 2023”said the minister in statements to the press upon leaving the State Department.
Leyva opined that “relations with the United States are going through an excellent moment”what “contrast” with previous Colombian governments.
At the meeting, they addressed Colombia’s request to the United States to consider applying the Deferred Forced Departure (DED) humanitarian program for Colombian migrants in the country.
This program, from which countries such as Venezuela or Liberia have benefited, allows migrants from countries with conflicts or natural disasters to remain in the United States.
The Colombian ambassador in Washington, Luis Gilberto Murillo, assured that they will continue to review the issue with the technical teams to “unify perspectives”: “There is an opening, it is a good time for discussion”, he claimed.
However, there was no talk of a potential meeting between the president of the United States, Joe Biden, and the president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, although said meeting “it will happen eventually.”
EFE
