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Biden’s management disagrees with President Gustavo Petro’s perspectives on the drug war, Venezuela and Cuba, but is confident in the traditionally strong ties the United States has with Bogota.
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By Michael Crowley
Michael Crowley, diplomatic correspondent, travels with Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken on his five-day trip to South America.
BOGOTA — Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met Monday with Colombia’s newly elected president, Gustavo Petro, a leftist leader whose positions on Cuba, the drug war and Venezuela’s anti-American policies. all leaders break with those of the Biden administration, testing the two long-standing close relationships between the countries.
Blinken arrived in Bogotá at the start of a five-day South American vacation, where he will meet with a trio of leaders elected in recent months on left-wing populist platforms. The holiday comes a day after Brazil’s right-wing president, Jair Bolsonaro, arrived at that point with his leftist challenger, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, in a first round of the presidential vote that has a runoff on Oct. 30.
The United States has traditionally had close ties with Colombia, having supported its long military crusade against drug cartels and, more recently, cooperating with Mr. S. ‘s right-wing predecessor. Members. Petro, Iván Duque, to isolate Venezuelan populist dictator Nicolás Maduro.
But the election in June of Mr. Petro to Mr. Petro. Duque emphasizes this relationship.
At a joint press conference with Petro at the Grand Presidential Palace in Bogota, Blinken downplayed any differences. “We listen to others and are learning from others,” he said.
Petro, a former urban guerrilla and passionate environmentalist, said “the war on drugs has failed” in his country, which is the world’s largest maker of cocaine. sale of cocaine.
Petro said the drug challenge in the United States is now overwhelmingly governed by artificial drugs like methamphetamine, Colombian cocaine, and that more Colombians die from drug-related violence than Americans from cocaine overdoses. But Biden’s management publicly opposes his approach.
Alongside Blinken, Petro declared at the joint press conference that “we see war differently. “
Venezuela is another sticking point. While calling Maduro a “dictator,” Petro moved temporarily to repair his country’s ties with neighboring Venezuela, saying the two populations coexist in harmony.
President Biden has left in place the punitive sanctions imposed on the Maduro government through the Trump administration. Like President Donald J. Trump, on Saturday Biden did not recognize Mr. Maduro as the country’s leader and has no formal diplomatic relations with Caracas. The United States conducted a prisoner swap with the government of M. Maduro who has released several long-term U. S. detainees from the country.
Blinken thanked Colombia for the large number of Venezuelan migrants, adding 1. 7 million to whom Colombia granted legal prestige of transience last year.
Blinken said the U. S. is continuing a discussion among Blinken’s government. Maduro and opposition leader Juan Guaido, whom the U. S. has identified as the country’s valid leader.
“This is what is wanted so that Venezuelans do not feel obliged to leave the country that is theirs, as well as that Venezuelans return,” Mr. Blinken said, referring to the lack of dialogue.
Differences also arose between Mr. Blinken and his host over Cuba. When asked if the Biden administration could rescind a designation through the Trump administration of Cuba as an official state sponsor of terrorism, Mr. Blinken was evasive and mentioned a formal procedure for rescinding the designations of some.
Petro said the designation is “an injustice,” saying it punishes Cuba for organizing, with what he called the approval of a previous Colombian administration and the Obama administration, peace talks with former rebels that the Trump administration has labeled terrorists.
Petro, the designation “needs to be corrected. “
Biden’s management is competing with Petro to continue implementing a 2016 peace deal that ended decades of fighting between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, guerrillas.
After his meeting with Petro, Blinken visited the Fragments Museum, committed to reminiscent of the country’s bloody conflict, whose floors are paved with molten weapons handed over by fighters after the peace agreement.
Blinken will also have two other countries that have elected leftist presidents over the past 18 months: Peru and Chile.
While polls had warned that Brazil would also elect a leftist, Da Silva, in the first round, Bolsonaro was able to force a momentary turnaround.
Biden administration officials have refused to weigh in on Brazil’s presidential candidates despite their non-public distaste for Mr. Bolsonaro, not least because his baseless comments about voter fraud undermine democracy in the region.
On Sunday night, Blinken tweeted his congratulations to Brazil on its “successful” election to the first matrix. “We measure Brazil’s confidence that the moment will take a stand in the same spirit of peace and civic duty,” he added.
Whatever differences Mr. Petro may have with Mr. Petro. Blinken, you must have your guest with wonderful respect.
“I think he will end up being president of the United States,” he told the diplomat, who is known for expressing interest in running for office. Blinken gave a shocked smile and shook his head.
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