Despite their differences, the United States would be willing to support the efforts of progressive Gustavo Petro for a “sustainable peace” in Colombia and dialogues with the ELN if this is a “serious project” in pursuit of achieving stability in the hemisphere, assured this Monday the main director for the Western Hemisphere of the National Security Council of the White House, Juan González.
“About 40 years ago we would have tried to prevent Petro from reaching the presidency and if elected, we would have done everything possible to hinder his management, but the people of Colombia elected him and we have to find a way to work with him, even if we disagree on many things,” said González, who explained that the Biden administration advocates “constructive” ways of collaborating in Latin America and the Caribbean, aimed at achieving results.
González referred to current issues in Latin American politics and the position of the administration of President Joe Biden towards countries such as Venezuela, Colombia, Haiti, Mexico, Chile, El Salvador and Argentina during an event sponsored by the United States Institute of Peace , based in Washington DC.
The official, who also managed US foreign policy for Latin America in the Obama era, said that they “are closely watching” the imminent resumption of the peace process with the ELN guerrillas, one of Petro’s campaign points, which reached the Presidency of Colombia last August.
“We are going to see where these efforts are headed,” said the specialist, cautious about expectations, while emphasizing that “sustainable peace in Colombia is of great interest to us as it stabilizes the region and I think we have to find ways to support it if it is a serious process”.
González recognized that the fight against drugs in Colombia is a point of regional security and that the anti-narcotics policy must evolve, for which the two governments are willing to collaborate on the basis that there are differences between them, but focused more on the results .
Cooperation with Mexico and sanctions on Venezuela
The main adviser to the White House for the Western Hemisphere also affirmed that, despite the “disagreements” in various aspects with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, both governments have known how to work together, putting bilateral interests and those of the region.
“We have rebuilt the foundations for bilateral cooperation,” insisted González, who mentioned joint efforts in the fight against smuggling, drugs and human trafficking and warned that “the news and the public image sometimes do not coincide with what It happens behind the scenes.”
We realized that additional sanctions would not change the status quo and could actually close the space for dialogue”
As for Venezuela, the official insisted that the US would be willing to ease sanctions against Caracas only if the government of Nicolás Maduro sits at the negotiating table with the opposition, but that they would apply them again if there is setback or deadlock in the talks.
“We have not imposed new sanctions since the Biden administration came to power because we realized that additional sanctions would not change the status quo and yes, they could -in reality- close the space for dialogue,” said González, who said he was optimistic that negotiations between the Venezuelan government and the opposition would resume, although he confessed that he did not know if they were going to continue.
For his part, Diosdado Cabello, a Chavista deputy and one of the key men of the Venezuelan government, assured that “at this point”, it does not have “any effect” that they threaten them with sanctions.
“It is very sad that the US government has not realized that here in Venezuela that does not work (…) those pressures on us are not going to influence us at all,” he said this Monday at a press conference of the national leadership of the Socialist Party Kingdom of Venezuela (PSUV).
González also ruled out the possible opening of a Russian military base in the region, something for which Moscow is not prepared and the hemisphere “does not want” due to the implications it could have for stability in the region.
The specialist insisted that Nicaragua could be the only one that could accept the Russian military presence due to the “volatility” of President Daniel Ortega, but that even so, it would be unlikely. “Russia’s role in Nicaragua is alarming, but they don’t have the resources right now,” he said, referring to the war that President Vladimir Putin is waging in Ukraine.
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