The elected vice president of Colombia, José Manuel Restrepo, reiterated this Wednesday before representatives of the United States Government that the next Administration in Bogotá, headed by Abelardo de la Espriella, maintains its purpose for the country to integrate into the "Shield of the Americas" coalition.
"We reiterate Colombia's interest in being part of the Shield of the Americas and strengthening cooperation in security, the eradication of illicit crops, the restoration of order, and the strengthening of our Military Forces, always with absolute respect for national sovereignty," Restrepo stated in a message on social media.
The Colombian leader expressed himself in these terms after meeting in Washington with the United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, an encounter he referred to as one of the "most important meetings of The Miracle Homeland" in the US capital.
"We appreciated the support provided by the United States to the transition process and the beginning of a new stage in the relationship between our countries," explained the Colombian official.
The meeting was also attended by the designated Ministers of Defense, Foreign Affairs, and Commerce, Industry, and Tourism of the new Government, whose inauguration in Colombia is set for next August. During the talks, new ways to "expand" bilateral trade, attract more investment, and boost the economic development of the South American country were analyzed.
"All this work responds to a commitment to Colombian families, especially the most vulnerable," emphasized the incoming vice president, stating that, in his opinion, "strengthening the alliance with the United States means generating more employment, increasing household income, and accelerating the social transformation that Colombia needs."
In line with this idea, Restrepo maintained that "when a nation offers opportunities and hope to its people, it also strengthens its democracy and prevents those who seek to sow fear, illegality, and violence from finding space to threaten it."
For his part, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the meeting as "very positive" and underlined Washington's "interest" in "working with the next Government of President-elect (in Colombia), Abelardo de la Espriella, to reinforce security cooperation and expand economic ties."
It should be recalled that last week the member countries of the coalition Shield of the Americas issued a joint statement in which they expressed their "deep concern" about "statements and actions that, without duly justified grounds, call into question the integrity of the electoral process" in Colombia, subsequently calling for a peaceful and orderly transition following the victory of Abelardo de la Espriella in the second round of the presidential elections on June 21.
The statement was released shortly after outgoing president Gustavo Petro insisted again that voting records abroad were manipulated during the runoff, also reproaching the National Electoral Council (CNE) for refusing to carry out the requested scrutiny.
Petro has been denouncing irregularities and manipulations since the first round of the presidential elections, in which the far-right candidate Abelardo de la Espriella emerged victorious.