#2024WCA: Acting Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo on Colombia's Evolving Global Position
#2024WCA: Acting Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo on Colombia's Evolving Global Position
Colombia’s acting minister spoke with Susan Segal about the country’s position on Venezuelan democracy, U.S. relations, and more.
Speakers
- Luis Gilberto Murillo, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Colombia
- Susan Segal, President and CEO, Americas Society/Council of the Americas
The United States is [Colombia’s] main economic partner, and we need to maintain that position,” said Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Luis Gilberto Murillo at the 54th Washington Conference on the Americas. “But we need more investment from the United States to Colombia in new areas because we are changing the structure of the economy, in terms of moving away from fossil fuels…and to new areas of renewables.”
In a conversation with AS/COA’s Susan Segal, Ambassador Murillo highlighted the importance of U.S. support in areas ranging from economic integration to Colombia’s peace process, how his country is handling an influx of millions of Venezuelan migrants, and how Bogotá views Venezuela’s electoral process. On the latter front, he highlighted the Petro government’s initiatives to work with the international community toward a democratic resolution in Venezuela as well as efforts to coordinate with that country opposition movement, saying: “We are hopeful that this process will go in an acceptable way.”
Segal also asked Murillo about Colombia’s position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, given the Petro government’s decision to break relations with Israel. In that regard, the acting minister stressed that Colombia criticized Hamas’ October 2023 attacks on Israel and urged for a hostage release, but also said his country believes “the government of Israel needs to conduct [itself] in a way that fulfills international humanitarian law.”
