On Friday, July 22, Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer traveled to Colombia and met with President Ivan Duque, President-Elect Gustavo Petro, Vice President-Elect Francia Marquez, and Colombian elected officials. He was joined by National Security Advisor to the Vice President Phil Gordon, Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian Nichols, and National Security Council Senior Director for the Western Hemisphere Juan Gonzalez.

During the visit, Mr. Finer thanked President Duque on behalf of President Biden for his partnership, particularly his extraordinary efforts on climate change and regional migration. Mr. Finer also congratulated the incoming government of President-Elect Petro and Vice President-Elect Marquez and stressed the Biden-Harris Administration's commitment to forging a close relationship, based on the principles of equal partnership between sovereign nations and building on that established between successive United States and Colombian administrations over two centuries.

Mr. Finer and the incoming administration discussed the full range of issues in the bilateral relationship, with many areas of common ground, including combating climate change, economic development, particularly in rural areas, and expanding implementation of Colombia's 2016 peace accord. They committed to engage further in the weeks and months ahead.