U.S. President Barack Obama told Colombia’s Ambassador Gabriel Silva the U.S. government continues to be committed to Plan Colombia and that the bilateral counter-narcotics and counter-insurgency initiative has shown results, the Colombian Embassy said on Thursday.
Obama met with Silva in the Oval Office on Tuesday to receive the credentials of Colombia’s new ambassador.
During that meeting, the U.S. president told Silva that “the commitment to Plan Colombia is bipartisan and long term … there are real results: a safer Colombia and a better life for Colombians,” according to an embassy press release.
“We are pushing new areas of cooperation such as strengthening democracy, sustainable development and trade ties,” the U.S. president reportedly added.
Colombia and the U.S. have been long-time allies in the fight against drug trafficking. The United States is the world’s largest drug-consuming market, and Colombia provides 95% of the cocaine sold on American streets. Colombia currently is pushing a 2006 free trade pact which has been stalled in the U.S. Congress.
