US threatens Colombia with repercussions for diversifying trade – Colombia News

The United States’ Special Envoy for Latin America warned Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro that attempts to strengthen ties with China may come with repercussions from Washington DC.

Special Envoy Mauricio Claver-Carone told press that “Petro’s rapprochement with China is a great opportunity for Ecuadorian roses and Central American coffee.”

The Colombian president is set to meet with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping later this moth and has said he planned to sign a letter of intent to join Beijing’s belt and Road Initiative.

In a response, Interior Minister Armando Benedetti said Claver Caron’s comments constituted, “a threat and something that goes against the autonomy and independence of the national government and of the Colombian people.”

That’s not done to any friendly or neighboring country. Colombia wants to have good relations with the United States, with them and with other peoples, but only as long as it is respectful, and this is not respect.

Armando Benedetti

At present, more than 35% of Colombia’s exports go to the United States, with whom the country has had strong bilateral ties for decades.

Earlier this week, Foreign Minister Laura Sarabia convened the Foreign Affairs Advisory Committee to discuss potential effects of improved relations with china with former presidents.

The meeting was cancelled after Petro criticized the move in a speech, reminding his foreign minister that “I am the head of Colombia’s Foreign Relations, as the Constitution says.”

Sarabia had received a call from former president Ivan Duque to discuss Colombia potentially joining China’s “Belt and Road” initiative.

The former president expressed his disagreement with such a move, saying it was “inconvenient” and could negatively impact trade relations with the United States.

This was so as not to be subjected to China’s strategic interests and also because of the impact it could have on the bilateral relationship with the United States.

Ivan Duque

Local trade associations, such as the National Association of Colombian Entrepreneurs (ANDI) and the National Association of Foreign Trade (ANALDEX) have also asked to postpone a meeting between the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) with China that is to take place the second week of May.

Representatives from United States and China are meeting in Switzerland on May 9th to resume trade talks.

The president is travelling to China May 10th through the 17th, after which he will visit Japan.