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Rep. Maria Salazar welcomes Colombian delegation, praises June 21 election outcome
Summary
Rep. Maria Salazar, the U.S. representative for Florida's 27th District, praised Colombia's June 21 election and said the incoming president signaled a commitment to strengthen ties with the United States; she announced she will host a Colombian delegation after the hearing.
Rep. Maria Salazar, the U.S. representative for Florida's 27rd District, praised Colombia's June 21 presidential election and said the country's incoming leader has signaled an intent to strengthen ties with the United States.
“On June 21, the Colombian people chose a new president,” Salazar said, describing a candidate who emerged outside the traditional political elite. She said Colombians embraced his message of “prosperity, security, democracy, and the opportunity to build a better life at home.”
Salazar said the new president has “made it clear that he intends to be a steadfast, unconditional, and reliable ally of the United States,” and added, “Thank god for that.” She said the United States and the Trump administration “is looking forward to work with Colombia as it reaffirms its position among the democratic nations that value a close partnership with the United States.”
Salazar welcomed the incoming administration’s stated priorities and announced that, following the hearing, she would welcome to Washington a Colombian delegation including the vice president‑elect, the foreign minister, the minister of commerce and the minister of defense.
The transcript contains inconsistent spellings for the name of Colombia’s new president (appearing variously as “Avelardo de la Prieala,” “de las preas,” and “de la Esprea” in the record). The audio did not provide a single, clear spelling; the article uses the transcript’s spelling when quoting the hearing and otherwise refers to him as the incoming president.
Salazar identified herself later in the statement as the representative for Florida’s 27th District and said she personally welcomed a Colombian named Abelardo, who she said had once been a constituent in Coral Gables before entering public service. She described the occasion as “particularly very special” and said she looked forward to strengthening the friendship between the two nations.
The remarks were delivered at the start of a House Committee on Foreign Affairs hearing. Salazar said the delegation’s visit would follow the hearing and did not specify further meetings or a schedule.
