The US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinkenwill meet this Monday in Bogota with the president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro; the vice president, France Marquezand the Chancellor, Alvaro Leyva, to discuss various issues on the joint agenda.
(Also read: Meeting between Gustavo Petro and Antony Blinken: the topics they will talk about).
At a press conference in Washington, attended by EL TIEMPO, the Undersecretary of State for the Western Hemisphere, brian nicholsgave details of Blinken’s agenda in Colombia and said that the Secretary will visit the exhibition Fragments of the National Museum about the Colombian conflict.
In addition, he will also go to the Center for Migrants to observe first-hand how Colombia has applied temporary protection status for Venezuelans who have sought refuge in the country.
(Of interest: Blinken will meet Petro in Colombia, Boric in Chile, and Castillo in Peru.)
Two visits that underline the interest of the United Statesboth in peace Colombian with an issue that generates interest in US national security issues such as the migration.
Nichols also reiterated that during the tour emphasis will be placed on issues that are of interest to both countries, such as “support for democratic institutions and respect for human rights throughout the region.”
Likewise, of course, drug trafficking.
According to the official, his country supports an approach based on science, health and regional security, as well as drug interdiction and the support of communities that today depend on illicit crops to survive.
“While President Petro defines an (anti-drug) strategy, we will continue to be allies,” said the undersecretary.
Blinken’s trip also includes stops in Chile and Peru, where he will participate in the OAS General Assembly. There, it is expected that the steps to follow regarding the declaration signed at the last Summit of the Americas on a regional approach will be discussed.l to mitigate the migration crisis and a resolution condemning Russia for the war in Ukraine and its decision to annex three provinces of this country.
Asked if he expected Colombia’s support for this resolution, Nichols replied that he expected the consensus of the entire region because, according to the official, this is a hemisphere “that supports democracy, human rights and the rule of law is against of the idea that one country can invade another, hold a fake referendum and then annex part of its territory.
As to whether there was any message in the fact that Blinken is visiting countries with left-wing governments, the official said that the United States did not judge countries by their ideological orientation at the time, but by their commitment to democracy and human rights.
SERGIO GOMEZ MASERI
TIME CORRESPONDENT
WASHINGTON
#Peace #migration #axes #Antony #Blinkens #agenda #Colombia