Colombia is a vital pioneer in Latin America and a key ally of the United States. Its effort to find a solution for the emergency in Venezuela is imperative, while retaining Venezuelan migrants in their territory progressively. Also, the Duque administration exhibiting an expanded promise to eradicating coca crops. On July 16, the Atlantic Council hosted a conference titled “US-Colombia Partnership: From Venezuela’s Crisis to Counter-Narcotics Efforts,” where the Colombian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carlos Holmes Trujillo, and the moderator, Judy Woodruff, discussed how the US-Colombian bilateral relation can guarantee stability, which new measures are being taken into consideration to diminish the coca agronomy, and what perspective Colombians have in regards to the democratic transition in Venezuela.
Before considering any subject, it is important to take into account that as the Minister said, Colombia’s major problem “is all of them together.” Still, he began his intervention by addressing how many Venezuelans can Colombia handle?
According to the Colombian Migration balance sheet for the first quarter of 2019, 1,260,594 Venezuelans currently live in Colombia. Also, the country became the principal receiver of Venezuelans and it is estimated that in the future the figure can grow to 3.5 million. “We cannot decide how many Venezuelans Colombia can handle. The borders are open and the risk is there. For that reason, it might be politicized; we need regional measures and more international cooperation. This is not a Colombian issue.”
In the same manner, Holmes Trujillo stated that we should see Venezuela’s situation as a process – dictatorships never fall from one day to another. Thanks in part to Juan Guaido, the conditions have been created and now we need to look for a regional solution because who is really feeling the situation in Venezuela? Latin American countries that receive Venezuelans every day. As a result, we can see around the world, many representatives that are set by interim President Juan Guaido, such as the representative to the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), Ricardo Hausmann, and the ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS), Gustavo Tarre. “Opposition has been united by Juan Guaido,” the Minister added.
On the other hand, the Minister does not believe in these negotiations since this will be only useful for Maduro regimen to gain time and divide the opposition. Now, the step and correct way fall in the fulfillment of the itinerary of Juan Guaido. He also has confidence in targeted sanctions, reason for proposing even more in the next Lima Group meeting.
Regarding the illegal drug industry, Holmes Trujillo mentioned that, since the consumption of new substances is going up, an integral view must be set, and the responsibility must be shared. That way, solutions can be implemented at every level the drug industry—production, transportation, money laundering, chemical sales, and consumption. To address solutions on the production side, Duque set the goal to eliminate 8 thousand coca-producing hectares.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs came to the US bringing more information about the effort that President Duque is doing. Also, assuring a maintained bilateral relationship that has always enabled great cooperation between the two countries .
Lastly, he mentioned some changes Duque’s administration is legally implementing to the Peace Agreement signed in 2016. For example:
– Drug trafficking and kidnapping should not be connected to political crimes.
– Sexual crimes against children should not receive juridical benefits.
– If a member of The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia—People’s Army (FARC) did not declare his resources by the agreed date should receive severe penalties.
– If a member of the FARC serving in the congress is declared guilty, he or she should abandon the public office and the political party can choose who will replace him or her.