In an interview with Caracol Radio, Juan González, adviser to President Joe Biden for Latin America referred to the resumption of relations between Gustavo Petro and the government of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela, assured that although “there is a diversity of points of view regarding diplomatic relations with Maduro, there is a consensus in most countries of the hemisphere and the international community, who support a Venezuelan-led dialogue that leads to democratic restoration in the country”.
Gonzalez assured that the recent elections in Colombia are an example for Venezuelans“President Petro is an example for countries like Venezuela” added that “Colombia can be very constructive”. Biden’s adviser said that the talks between Colombia and Venezuela “will have implications for the migratory flow to Colombiabut also on the issue of security around the border,” and said that the United States has communicated to the Petro government your interests and concerns.
THE REPUBLICANS AND THE FEAR OF PETRO
With respect to the two bills introduced in the United States Senate by the Republican legislator Ted Cruzwhich the king demandsentry of the Farc to the list of terrorist organizations of the American Union and conditions the economic aid provided by Washington to Colombia Depending on how Petro governs, Juan González warned that “we have the responsibility to speak with our senators to explain our strategy, but that is part of the weave and manage of the relations of the executive and the legislature”.
The Democrats have a slight majority in the Senate and it is possible that with the next elections of half term in the countryRepublicans take control of The House of Representatives. In the midst of this panorama, it is uncertain if these bills can pass on Capitol Hill.
Faced with these projects that will be debated in Congress, González said that “in the United States we have three independent branches of government, but the reality here is that we have developed bipartisan support for Colombia because we recognize the strategic value of the relationship and the importance in supporting the success of Colombia“.
THE EXTRADITION
Faced with President Gustavo Petro’s proposal to curb extraditions of. drug traffickers to the United StatesGonzález assured that there is a treaty where the decision to extradite someone It depends on the disposition of the president from Colombia.
The issue that was already put on the table between both governments, González expressed the concerns of the Petro administration that led him to contemplate this suspension. “Some of the concerns they have is, for example, that extradited persons, Colombian investigators do not have access to them. We have tried to present information so that you have as much information as possible while they decide what they are going to do and at the same time we look for opportunities for our Department of Justice to have exchanges with the Colombian government and thus see which route to take.
Gonzalez recalled that this measure was already conditioned with other presidents of Colombia“let us not forget that it is also something that the government of Uribe and also that of Santos made decisions on the subject of dialogues with different groups (armed) and it is something that we have to see what the plan is and be in ongoing communication and support where we can“, the adviser told Caracol Radio.
AMBASSADOR IN COLOMBIA
about the possibility that Francis Palmeri be ratified as United States-owned ambassador to ColombiaAlthough González did not confirm this information, he stated that “Pacho Palmieri he is one of the best ambassadors we have working in the regionwe are very lucky to have him in Colombia in this time of transition and he is someone who is going to be key in to be able to navigate the relationship with the new government.
BIDEN-PETRO RELATIONSHIP
Juan González stressed that “the Biden/Harris administration is very focused on working with any government that has been democratically elected and that governs democratically regardless the ideology”.
The White House adviser stressed that “we have many interests in the prosperity of Colombia” and said that the relationship between the Biden government and Petro “It doesn’t mean we won’t have disagreementsand we have those with our closest allies, but the reality is how we work and communicate to resolve these disagreements and we saw that in the interactions, we have already spent more than 4 hours with President Petro and his team and all the dialogues have been very constructive”.
