00:00Today Barranquilla has been the setting for a strategic conversation for the present
00:07and the future of Colombia and our relationship with the United States of America.
00:13With those words, President Abelardo de la Espriella celebrated the signed agreements.
00:17with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Specifically, the so-called Agreements
00:22Barranquilla's plans comprise three pillars: security, economic reconstruction, and shared prosperity.
00:27Furthermore, at the end of this dialogue, two memoranda of understanding were signed.
00:32to strengthen bilateral cooperation in strategic minerals and nuclear energy matters.
00:38What does this decision imply? With these instruments, they consolidate a common agenda to promote
00:42energy security, the energy transition, industrial competitiveness, innovation
00:48technological and the strengthening of institutional capacities. The memoranda, in the case
00:52of mining and energy, establish a non-binding cooperation framework and both the House
00:57As white as the Casa de Nariño, it will be a setting that will allow progress in technical exchange,
01:02attracting responsible investment, developing regulatory capacities and promoting
01:07projects of strategic interest to the country. For the development of these agreements
01:11They established points such as guarantees, loans, capital, purchase agreements, insurance, or facilitation.
01:17of regulations to jointly identify and finance mining and processing projects.
01:22All of this will begin to unfold over the next six months.
01:25Another important point, I told the Secretary, Colombia in the world, our
01:30Foreign policy is based on a fundamental principle, my dear compatriots. Colombia relates
01:36with the world from their own national interests, with sovereignty, autonomy, pragmatism and vision
01:43long-term, and in that we are perfectly aligned with the United States. Colombia has
01:48Natural resources, geographic location, human talent, and strategic assets. Our diplomacy
01:54must turn those strengths into opportunities to consolidate our position as the best partner of the
02:01The United States. And we're going to do it, Mr. Secretary. This is a new beginning.
02:06And regarding the nuclear agreement, the agreement consists of establishing a bilateral framework for
02:10cooperation in which Colombia considers the deployment of nuclear energy to move forward
02:15in energy security and deepen the broader strategic relationship between the two
02:20countries. This aims to support civilian nuclear infrastructure and force development
02:24labor in Colombia. To this end, the exploration of US nuclear technologies will begin,
02:30Fuel, equipment, and services. However, all of this will be done while maintaining the highest standards.
02:35safety and non-proliferation standards.
02:37And we are going to use this opportunity we have now, which is to strengthen the links between our governments
02:43They are so strong, to ensure that we are not only going to focus on the issue of security very
02:48important and will be key and central to our relationship, but we should also focus on what
02:53It is an opportunity to create prosperity that will help the American people and obviously also
02:59help the Colombian people. However, a roadmap was also established for the new
03:04functioning in the areas of security and trade. Regarding the former, the Colombian side proposed
03:09The Patriot Plan 21st Century, a program to modernize airplanes, radars, drones, helicopters,
03:15Anti-drone systems, air defense, cyber defense, and special forces. All of this will be carried out in
03:20cooperation and a close commitment announced by President Donald Trump. They also spoke there.
03:25of the so-called Shield of the Americas and which would have one of its operational headquarters in Medellín.
03:30And we are going to work decisively in the fight against drug trafficking. We are going to begin
03:38We're going to fumigate. We're going after the labs, the precursors, the routes, the ringleaders.
03:44from drug trafficking, by armed narco-terrorist organizations. We're going after the money launderers.
03:49assets, due to their criminal assets and those international networks that constitute a large
03:55This is a danger, not only to the hemisphere, but also to humanity. Colombia is prepared.
04:00to assume annual goals, verifiable indicators, and concrete commitments. We will fulfill our
04:08part, Mr. Secretary, and we hope to build on that basis a shared responsibility that is
04:14effective for both nations. Regarding trade, the Secretary of State indicated that
04:20This initial contact with the De las Priella government opens up an economic opportunity
04:24important for Colombia. Among those opportunities is the possibility of eliminating tariffs
04:29of 12.5% on products exported from Colombia. That measure is under review.
04:34Regarding the dialogue, the president of the Priella group said that he proposed to work on mechanisms for
04:39investment, cooperation and financing, as well as establishing a commitment to adjust the
04:44The belt in fiscal matters, the reduction of spending and creating better conditions for the
04:48investment. These agreements confirm a substantial shift in the relationship policy.
04:52Colombia's stance towards the United States. And President De las Priella has outlined
04:57The United States is one of the most important countries internationally and has
05:01charged with strengthening cooperation between the two nations. Finally, De las Priella asked
05:06the opening of a United States consulate in Barranquilla, seeking to reaffirm the importance
05:11from the capital of the Atlantic for this new government. Follow all these news stories in detail.
05:16on elespectador.com.
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