US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday pledged to restore ties with Colombia, saying relations between the two longtime allies had deteriorated under the previous leftist government in Bogotá.
Rubio spoke in Barranquilla after talks with De la Espriella and the signing of agreements on critical minerals supply chains and civilian nuclear cooperation.
He said the United States and Colombia had an opportunity not only to restore their “natural relations” but also to enter a new phase of cooperation “even stronger” than before.
The visit is the first stop on a Latin American tour designed to strengthen ties with a new crop of conservative pro-US leaders in the region.
Rubio will also travel to Ecuador and Peru, where Washington is seeking to deepen security cooperation and bolster efforts against drug trafficking and organized crime.


