The lack of appreciation of President Gustavo Petro for the resources that the United States has been giving to Colombia over the past few decades would be one of the reasons House Republicans have excluded funding for the country in the budget planned for fiscal year 2024.
At least that’s what Florida congresswoman María Elvira Salazar said this Thursday at the conclusion of a hearing called to evaluate the policies of the Colombian president.
At the end of the event, and in his usual meeting with the press (including this newspaper), he was asked about the decision, for the first time in history, to “defer” those resources.
As is known, in the draft budget for Foreign Operations for the coming year, which was approved 15 days ago by the Appropriations Committee, not a single penny for the country was included. For decades, Congress has been authorizing between 400 and 500 million dollars annually.
(Also read: US NGOs defend Petro and ask that aid for Colombia be maintained)
Salazar, who serves as chair of the House Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, claimed that Petro, during his trip to Washington in March of this year, he told members of the US congress that those resources did not matter to him and did not even thank them for the disbursements of the past.
“I was in a meeting where President Petro was, which is the only time I saw him and where one of my colleagues asked him about those close to 500 million dollars that the United States sends every year and President Petro in a rather despotic manner and without much interest in thanking said, and these were his words: “I don’t even see that.” And there were the congressmen, who today are the ones who are writing down which country takes what, what amount, and for that reason Colombia is in this situation,” Salazar said.
(Also: The controversy over the reduction of IACHR hearings on Colombia)
Recognize that there is help from the United States, not say it in such a derogatory way as President Petro did
When asked if this removal of resources would not have adverse consequences for the country, Salazar insisted that all countries in the region deserved US support. but that they should show at least some appreciation.
“All Latin American countries should receive support from the United States, they do need it. What happens is that the government that is going to receive it has to at least be grateful. The word is at least to recognize that there is help. That is the word. Recognize that there is help from the United States, not say it in such a contemptuous way as President Petro did. And I am saying it not as a congressman, (but) as if I were as a journalist. I saw it, and That was the expression, the tone, the gesture of President Petro about the money he receives from the United States.”
(You can read: US Senate conditions aid to report on Petro’s anti-drug strategy)
Salazar noted that while he was aware that US aid is something that benefits all Colombians, She was emphatic that the one who manages it is the government of the day. In this case that of Petro.
“Without a doubt, but it must also be recognized that it is President Petro’s administration that receives (the aid), its institutions and its different agencies. So, of course, we understand and I know what you are telling me and I know that there are going to be sectors that are going to be affected, but then that is the responsibility of the president (Petro)”Salazar said.
(Keep reading: US Senate approves $487 million for Colombia: what’s next?)
The discomfort expressed by the congresswoman for the lack of gratitude from Petro when she visited Washington a few months ago coincides with other comments made on that same trip by Foreign Minister Álvaro Leyva and which also fell very badly.
During a forum to which he was invited in Congress, Leyva referred to US aid as “alms.”
SERGIO GOMEZ MASERI
EL TIEMPO correspondent
Washington
On Twitter @sergom68
#Congress #Petro #ungrateful