Here’s How the United States Can Help Colombia Thrive

Apr 16, 2018 | Daniel Runde
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Vice President Mike Pence set off for Lima, Peru, on Friday, to stand in for President Donald Trump — who stayed home to focus on Syria — at the Summit of the Americas. On Saturday, Pence is set to meet with regional leaders, including Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos. The vice president’s conversation with Santos comes as Colombia is on the verge of achieving a state of normalcy, thanks in many ways to decades of partnership with the United States. While dealing with the short-term issues in Colombia, the United States should get ready to find ways to reap the benefits of this transformed relationship. Three to five years from now, it will be reasonable to talk about a post-peace partnership between the United States and Colombia. The two countries could see the opening of a new, deep, durable phase in their friendship. What might that phase look like?