President Gustavo Petro says he and his US counterpart Joe Biden have mentioned a convention on Venezuela hosted by Colombia subsequent week, with overseas ministers from Europe, Latin America, and US.
(Reuters)
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has advised President Joe Biden of their first assembly that he helps lifting sanctions on the leftist authorities in Venezuela.
Petro, Colombia’s first leftist president, met with Biden within the White House and advised reporters afterward on Thursday that he mentioned a technique for resolving the disaster in Venezuela which is deeply remoted by US and European sanctions.
“A strategy was proposed…, which is to hold elections first and then lift sanctions. Or gradually — as an electoral agenda is fulfilled, those sanctions are also lifted in parallel,” Petro stated.
He stated he and Biden had mentioned a convention on Venezuela hosted by Colombia subsequent week, with overseas ministers from Europe, Latin America, and the United States.
Washington helps the lifting of sanctions for democracy, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby advised reporters on Thursday.
“We’ve long been clear that that we will — we would — review our sanctions policies in response to constructive steps by the Nicolas Maduro regime and if the Venezuelan parties can make meaningful progress in return to a democracy.”
READ MORE:Leaders of Colombia, Venezuela meet as ‘sister nations’ enhance ties
Drug trafficking business
Calling Colombia a “key” to the hemisphere, Biden stated Petro had been “outspoken and strong” on human rights in a area with an extended historical past of abuses and armed battle.
The US president highlighted Colombia’s welcoming of huge numbers of refugees from neighbouring Venezuela, which has suffered years of financial collapse and violent political stress.
Petro advised reporters after his talks that he had requested Biden for assist in creating a brand new, extra focused strategy to the decades-long, US-backed army marketing campaign towards drug lords in Colombia.
The secret’s to “the drug trafficking business community, which is done through intelligence work, tracing their assets and their money,” he stated. “I requested a little more help in that regard. We need more vessels, more boats, more drones.”
In his Oval Office remarks, Petro highlighted that he sees “democracy, freedom and peace” as a “common agenda.”
And he emphasised the necessity for an “in-depth” shift from fossil fuels to a inexperienced economic system — one thing Biden has prioritised throughout his presidency, with a historic funding invoice to encourage climate-friendly expertise.
“We have the greatest potential for democracy and freedom in the Americas, as well as the greatest potential for green energies,” Petro stated.
Petro was elected in June in a part of a wave of left-leaning leaders to win energy in Latin America.
Colombia’s presidential workplace stated the go to to the White House was “a milestone in consolidating the relationship between Colombia and the United States in this new moment.”
READ MORE:
Colombia, Venezuela open key bridge as diplomatic ties reestablished
Source: AFP
Source: www.trtworld.com
