Although the relationship with Washington remains robust and there are many areas where both countries maintain fluid cooperation, Daniel García-Peña, the new ambassador appointed by President Gustavo Petro to represent his government in the United States, Upon landing, it will face a whole series of challenges in a country where Colombia is no longer seen by many as the unconditional ally of yesteryear.
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However, Its “learning curve” will begin almost immediately with the installation of the eleventh US-Colombia High-Level Dialogue that begins next week in Bogotá and where all the issues on the bilateral agenda will be reviewed.
Led by officials from the State Department, the White House, the Department of Defense and other entities, the dialogue is an unbeatable opportunity for the new ambassador to establish relationships with those who will soon be his counterparts.
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Luis Gilberto Murillo, Foreign Minister of Colombia.
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In a certain sense, that will be García-Peña’s most immediate challenge: “filling the shoes” of a Murillo who, despite the obvious differences that have arisen between both countries since Petro’s arrival at the Casa de Nariño, enjoys great credibility in Washington, a city where he had lived before and where he has good friends.
García-Peña, who is fluent in the language and studied at an American university, probably won’t take long to adapt. He will also inherit a rich agenda of issues where there are coincidences and strategic interests of both countries.
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Colombia has stood out for maintaining good bipartisan relations with the US for more than two decades and for its good ambassadors.
The first, of course, is of high importance for Biden, who has a crisis on the southern border with Mexico and in which Colombia has been playing an important role given that part of the flow to the US passes through the Darién Gap and because it is a refuge for millions of migrants from other countries.
In fact, at the last summit held in Guatemala two weeks ago, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announced a new financial aid package that includes resources for the country.
On the side of Venezuela, Colombia is called to play a relevant role in the elections of this July 28, where it has offered itself as guarantor. An issue of high impact in the US that, depending on the outcome of the elections, could magnify the country’s credentials if they lead to a democratic transition or become a headache for the newly arrived ambassador.
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Image of the Darién plug. The United States requests a report on the progress that Colombia has made to control this migratory route.
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That, however, began to change at the end of last month when Colombia broke relations with Israel, one of the main US allies. The decision, of course, not only fell badly in circles close to Biden but also among many Democratic legislators, such as Senator Tim Kaine, who have been historical allies of the country.
Navigating through that crack, which for the moment will remain open, will not be an easy task. Likewise, García-Peña will have to repair the damage left by recent statements by Foreign Minister Murillo in which he brought up in Biden’s face the legal entanglements of his son Hunter, in retaliation for the mention of Petro’s family in a Human Rights report. of the State Department.
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Gustavo Petro and Daniel García Peña.
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But that began to change since the last presidential election in the US when the country ended up in the middle of a dispute between President Donald Trump and Biden, who were fighting over Colombian votes in Florida.
After Petro’s election in 2022, the deterioration has been even more acute. Among Republicans, especially those from this state, criticism against the Colombian president is constant, to the point that the House of Representatives, dominated by this party, did not approve resources for the country in its budget for the year 2024. Although these are restored during its process through the Senate, the message was clear.
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Republican Senator Marco Rubio.
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Furthermore, interest in the country – and there are various reasons – has been declining. In his 2025 budget, which was presented in March, Biden requested just over $400 million, the lowest figure requested since the Trump years.
Given that the legislative process for this aid has just begun, one of García Peña’s first tasks will be to bring it to fruition.
But it will not be easy because if there is any consequence of breaking relations with Israel, it is that the country will have fewer friends in Congress to defend assistance.
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All, of course, in the middle of an explosive US election campaign where Although Colombia is not listed at the moment, it could become relevant again if the Republicans attack Biden for his proximity to a left-wing leader who is not on the same page of the strategic interests of the United States.
“I think the main challenge will be navigating the complicated politics of Washington in an election year. You will need to maintain good relations with the entire political spectrum. His immediate predecessor demonstrated that, although difficult, this approach is possible,” says Michael Shifter, former president of the Inter-American Dialogue and now with George Washington University.
The president of the United States, Joe Biden.
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“Colombia has stood out for maintaining good bipartisan relations with the United States for more than two decades and for its good ambassadors. With Petro it has been more difficult, but we have to differentiate between the noise and what matters. And in what matters, which is security, trade, regional cooperation, the relationship continues and that is going to prevail. In addition, he will have the support of Murillo, who continues to have a good entrance in Washington,” says Feierstein.
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That said, the former advisor maintains, The words and actions towards Israel undoubtedly cloud relations and will make them even more complex, at least publicly.
Additionally, Feierstein says, Republican opposition – which is not new – could complicate the approval of new resources with the potential to become even more entangled if Trump wins the elections in November.
I think the biggest challenge will be navigating complicated Washington politics in an election year. You will need to maintain good relations with the entire political spectrum. His immediate predecessor demonstrated that, although difficult, this approach is possible.
For Jensen, in any case, the new ambassador will not have it easy.
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“First of all, it arrives in Washington at the height of the US election season, where the government is distracted by the presidential campaign. Furthermore, it will not be easy to find audiences to explain the policies of a left-wing government. And he has the challenge of replacing Ambassador Murillo who managed to position himself as a credible interlocutor to sustain the bipartisan relationship that has characterized the historical relationship between both countries,” concludes the analyst.
SERGIO GÓMEZ MASERI
EL TIEMPO correspondent
Washington
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