Armando Benedettithe Colombian ambassador in Venezuela, has already met with almost all the important figures of the Venezuelan government to end his stay in the neighboring country until the diplomatic headquarters and the residence of the ambassador are “inhabitable”, this due to the years of abandonment of the infrastructures.
(Read here: Benedetti says that a possible meeting between Petro and Maduro would be in October)
The agenda of meetings was not only limited to a meeting with the president Nicholas Madurobut with the vice president Delcy Rodriguez, whom he considers entertaining, intelligent and one of the figures of power “behind the scenes”.
(See here: Colombia and Venezuela exchange ambassadors to normalize relations)
Meetings were also held Jorge RodriguezPresident of the Assembly; God given hair, Vice President of the Socialist Party of Venezuela; the chancellor, Carlos Faria; the Minister of Energy, Tareck El Aissami, and the Minister of Defense, Vladimir Padrino López, who is expected to visit Colombia because he “doesn’t know him,” according to Benedetti.
From a hotel in Caracas – because it still cannot be installed in the official residence – Benedetti spoke with EL TIEMPO and assured that for President Petro “the biggest bull will be Venezuela” and this for multiple issues, such as drug trafficking, the border, business relationships.
Why was he chosen as ambassador to Venezuela?
I have never been in a diplomatic career, I made fun of the ambassadors, and this is because Petro knows that I am a person he trusts, because the biggest bull that we are going to deal with will be that of Venezuela and also a message to Maduro, that the person closest to him is in Venezuela.
Why will the biggest bull be Venezuela?
Because he has a lot of bulls, but I see them all medium next to Venezuela. And there are three points: the Gross Domestic Product, the eight million Colombians who are on the border – here they left four million stranded – and looking for the border to be an economic zone. I am accelerated, but I see Venezuela more gradually.
What did you talk with Nicolás Maduro?
It was a chat without protocol, of friends, I knew him for a long time, I’m not saying I’m friends with him but we knew each other and it was quite funny. He lasted a long time, he was very happy and affectionate and I also confessed how happy we are to reestablish relations.
How will the relationship with Juan Guaidó be?
We have already recognized the Maduro government and I would like to say between five qualifiers but I am going to remain silent because of the new office. The best thing that the Maduro government has is Guaidó because it helps them a lot.
The presence of irregular groups in Venezuela cannot be hidden. Has that been discussed?
What has been defined are joint actions, never to forgive spaces, but it is also true that we need the Venezuelan government to accompany us.
Did you talk about that issue with Maduro?
Nope.
Understand me that if one arrives for the first time at a party one does not start kicking the furniture, so I have not asked about that (Iván Márquez)
Is it possible that Venezuela is the stage for a dialogue with the ELN?
I would like it to be Cuba or Spain because if it is here we are only going to talk about the ELN and what I want is to restore trade relations, I need to help my fellow citizens.
Has it been said that Iván Márquez was here?
Understand me that if one arrives for the first time at a party one does not start kicking the furniture, so I have not asked about that. If I come here for the first time and ask awkward questions, they don’t invite me back.
How would the Venezuelan opponents remain in Colombia after Diosdado Cabello’s request?
Petro also answered and if someone asks for political asylum and fulfills the conditions, they would be respected. Not because relations are restored are we going to forget international law, the precepts of asylum.
Gas, the left in Latin America and the role of the United States
Benedetti, happy with the treatment he has received in Venezuela, which he considers is not in deplorable conditions as shown in Colombia, told EL TIEMPO that the consulates in Caracas, San Cristóbal, Maracaibo, Puerto Ordaz and Puerto Ayacucho will be opened.
Among other issues discussed with the Venezuelan authorities is the possibility that the country could supply Colombia with gas, taking into account that “it only has seven years left.”
“We are going to need gas from Venezuela,” he said. To do this, it will be necessary to divert the gas pipeline to Puerto Ballena.
“This is not a matter of seeing if I like Maduro or not,” said the ambassador while affirming the importance of seeking that “Venezuela does not continue to be isolated, what we are doing is opening the key to close the isolation.”
Faced with the advance of the left on the continent, he stressed that it was a reality but that more than an ideological issue, it was about creating a solid bloc that could deal with arbitrariness. “It’s like a kind of phenomenon that exists in the region which helps to have much more strength to face the impositions of the first world.”
The new ambassador leaves Caracas this Wednesday and hopes to return soon. Meanwhile, this Wednesday he will hold a meeting with the United States ambassador to Venezuela, James Story, who operates from Bogotá.
Benedetti believes that the United States is an important part of this restoration process and for this reason he has already held meetings with Biden’s representatives. “I met with them and what I told them is that any process that was going to take place was going to take place hand in hand with them and that we know that they should not have the approval but rather the knowledge.”
Regarding the diplomatic headquarters in Venezuela, he assured that they are in poor condition, especially the consulate in Caracas. It is expected that in a month the Bogotá – Caracas flights will resume.
ANA RODRIGUEZ BRAZON
TIME CORRESPONDENT
CARACAS
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