Biden, Colombia's Petro to meet amid deep policy differences
IndependentNov 23, 2022
The Facts
On Thursday, US Pres. Joe Biden hosted his Colombian counterpart Gustavo Petro for talks amid mounting differences on drug policy and Venezuela but with a common goal of enhancing cooperation on areas such as climate change and migration.
Speaking to the press, Petro stressed the continental potential for democracy, freedom, and green energies, while Biden vowed to strengthen bilateral cooperation, including to fight international drug trafficking.
The Spin
Left narrative
While a wide variety of hot issues were discussed in this meeting, including climate change and drug policy, it's undeniable that Petro urging the Biden admin. to end its unilateral coercive measures against Venezuela was the most important. The only way out of the decade-long Venezuelan crisis is putting forward an election timeline, reintegrating Caracas into the inter-American system, and gradually deactivating sanctions.
Right narrative
Some claim that Latin America has been lured into deepening ties with autocratic countries in the hope of playing a prominent role on the global stage. A closer look, however, reveals that the Biden admin. has wasted time by engaging with leaders like Petro, who support dictatorships and narco-trafficking, in an attempt to promote democracy and fair elections in Venezuela. Petro's upcoming Bogotá Summit has a clear goal: to legitimize Maduro.
