Colombia: Antony Blinken visits to consolidate ties between Washington and Bogota
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken here at the US Embassy in Ecuador, Quito, October 19, 2021. AP - Santiago Arcos
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
This is Secretary of State Antony Blinken's first tour of Latin America.
The Biden administration wants to reaffirm its support for democratic values and right-wing governments.
Antony Blinken was in Quito on Monday.
He is expected this Wednesday, October 20 in Colombia where he will be received by President Ivan Duque.
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Colombia has always been a staunch ally of the Americans in this part of the world.
It enjoyed unwavering support from Washington in fighting Communist guerrillas during the Cold War era and since in the fight against drug trafficking.
Another common enemy:
Venezuela,
neighbor of Nicolas Maduro.
All this creates links, recalls our correspondent in Bogota,
Marie-Eve Detoeuf
.
Blinken and Duque will talk about cocaine and socialism, but they will also tackle new subjects: that of migration to begin with.
Colombia has become a crossing point for thousands of Haitians, Cubans, Venezuelans and even Africans who want to reach the United States.
The
town of Necocli
on the Caribbean coast is one of the main crossing points for these would-be emigrants;
they are waiting there for the boat which will take them across the Gulf of Uraba.
A major concern for the US government.
► See also:
Antony Blinken in Mexico to strengthen cooperation against crime and human trafficking
A sensitive subject all the same ...
Washington also wants to ensure Bogota's cooperation in the fight against global warming.
On these points, the dialogue should be cordial.
The question is whether the US Secretary of State will comment on the angry subject, that of human rights.
American defenders recall that dozens of human rights and social rights activists have been assassinated in Colombia since Ivan Duque has been in power.
► See also: Colombia: the state condemned for the torture and rape of journalist Jineth Bedoya
in Quito, Blinken's tribute to President Guillermo Lasso
On Tuesday, the US Secretary of State was in Ecuador where President Guillermo Lasso had just declared a
state of emergency
for a period of sixty days. Antony Blinken expressed his “
admiration
” for the work done by Guillermo Lasso in favor of democracy and applauded his “
fight
” against corruption and drug trafficking. Police operations - which are of concern to human rights organizations, must be "highly targeted in what they seek to achieve and of limited duration and, of course, monitor and unfold. 'a way that respects democratic values,' Blinken told reporters.
Ecuador, country of transit of cocaine to the United States, is going through a new period of turbulence due to insecurity and social discontent and its president is
the subject of an investigation decided by the Parliament
following of the revelations of the Pandora Papers.
I met today with Ecuador's President @LassoGuillermo and @MMontalvoEC to discuss strengthening our partnership in the region, combating the climate crisis, and ongoing efforts to confront regional security challenges.
pic.twitter.com/0uLMOwEJSr
- Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) October 19, 2021
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Colombia
Ivan Duque
United States
Joe biden
Drug
International Migration
Human rights
Venezuela