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🇨🇴 Colombia /Elections & Politics

Governor asks De la Espriella to use Marco Rubio visit to push for U.S. consulate in Barranquilla

From El Tiempo · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • Atlántico Governor Eduardo Verano asked Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella to raise the proposed reopening of a U.S. consulate in Barranquilla during Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit.
  • Verano said the city’s location, port and airport infrastructure, business growth, and academic and cultural activity make it a natural candidate for a permanent diplomatic representation.
  • The proposal was first discussed with a U.S. State Department delegation in July, while Rubio’s visit will also cover economic issues, regional security and bilateral cooperation.

Atlántico Governor Eduardo Verano wants the proposed U.S. consulate in Barranquilla placed on President Abelardo de la Espriella’s agenda with Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Verano made the request shortly before Rubio’s arrival in the city, the first stop on a regional trip that will also take him to Ecuador and Peru. Rubio is due to meet De la Espriella at the presidential headquarters in Barranquilla.

The governor says the city already has the foundations for a permanent U.S. diplomatic presence. He pointed to its geographic location, port and airport infrastructure, recent business growth, and academic and cultural activity.

“We have everything needed to bring this initiative to life. It would make relations between the two nations more fluid and strengthen cooperation, trade and exchange between our peoples,” Verano said. He described Barranquilla as destined to become the capital of an Atlantic region connected to the world and called a U.S. consulate a major step in that international projection.

The idea is not new. Verano first raised it in July during a meeting with a State Department delegation at Casa Catinchi. The U.S. mission said it would study the possibility of reopening the consulate, recognizing what it described as Barranquilla’s strategic weight in the bilateral relationship.

Verano sees Rubio’s visit as a new opportunity for the national government to revive the request in Washington. The proposal also fits the department’s 2024-2027 development plan, “Atlántico for the World,” which seeks to position the region as a hub for investment, innovation and international cooperation. Rubio and De la Espriella are expected to discuss economic issues, regional security and bilateral cooperation as Bogotá and Washington work to rebuild a relationship strained during the previous government.

We have everything needed to bring this initiative to life. It would make relations between the two nations more fluid and strengthen cooperation, trade and exchange between our peoples.

· Eduardo VeranoThe Atlántico governor argued that Barranquilla is ready to host a U.S. consulate.
About this summary

Originally published by El Tiempo in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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