BOGOTÁ, Colombia — U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno returned to the country where he was born on a congressional trip last week with a blunt message for Colombian leaders: clean up the drug trade, distance yourself from China, and choose America as your primary strategic partner.
The Westlake Republican, who was born in Bogota and moved to the United States as a child and became a citizen, visited Colombia with Arizona Democrat Ruben Gallego, who is of Colombian descent, marking a rare bipartisan visit at what both senators described as a “pivotal moment” in U.S.-Colombia relations.
“The idea that a kid born here can move to America, become a U.S. citizen and become a U.S. senator is proof that what we know here in Colombia, that if you imagine something, if you’re willing to work hard enough, if you’re willing to persevere, you can do anything you want to do,” Moreno said.
Speaking at a Friday event hosted by the Atlantic Council’s Latin American center and the National Business Association of Colombia, Moreno delivered pointed warnings about Colombia’s relationship with China and its approach to combating drug trafficking.
His remarks reflected the Trump administration’s “America First” approach to foreign policy, emphasizing that Colombia must make clear choices about its allegiances.
“It’s a binary choice,” Moreno said. “You’re either going to be an ally of the United States or you’re going to be an ally of China, but you’re not going to be both.”
Moreno expressed particular concern about Chinese involvement in Colombia’s infrastructure projects, including telecommunications systems and the Bogotá metro project. He warned that any participation in China’s Belt and Road Initiative — Beijing’s global infrastructure investment program that has drawn criticism for creating debt dependencies — would be “walking down the aisle and getting married” to Beijing — a move he described as “a big, big red flag.”
Moreno framed his warnings in personal terms. He noted the irony that during his campaign, political opponents tried to link him with Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar because of his heritage.
“One of my great frustrations in life is that, since the moment I arrived in the United States until today, when people think about Colombia, they have to make the stupid Pablo Escobar drug dealer joke,” said Moreno, who built his fortune selling luxury cars.
“I come from a world of branding,” he continued “Do we really want Colombia branded that way? … Colombia is so much more than that.”
On drug trafficking, Moreno delivered an ultimatum: Colombia must “eradicate completely its cocaine-based economy” using “whatever measures it needs to do to make that happen.” He argued this would benefit Colombia by lifting the negative stereotypes associated with the country, and proving the country is a safe place for businesses to invest.
His colleague, Gallego, struck a more diplomatic tone while largely agreeing on substance. The Arizona Democrat, whose parents immigrated from Colombia, emphasized the positive aspects of the bilateral relationship and the potential for economic cooperation.
“When you have two very strong personalities as presidents, sometimes when they meet, they could be very difficult,” Gallego said, referring to Presidents Trump and Gustavo Petro. “What I always try to communicate is that a relationship this strong and of this nature will always be able to surpass presidents.”
Gallego focused more on economic opportunities, particularly the potential for American companies to “nearshore” manufacturing to Colombia as the U.S. seeks to reduce dependence on Asian supply chains.
Both senators emphasized that Colombia enjoys favorable trade terms with the United States, including a 10% tariff rate that Moreno described as “the best tariff deal in the world.” They noted that the U.S. maintains a trade surplus with Colombia, unlike with many other partners.
“We have an opportunity to be a great partner for America here in Colombia,” said Moreno. “If you evaluated countries in Latin America as individual stocks, I would go long on Colombia. I would buy every stock in Colombia that I possibly could, because this country is about to see an inflection point that’s going to grow the entire country.”
The visit came at a sensitive time for U.S.-Colombia relations. The senators met with Colombian President Gustavo Petro, whose left-leaning government has at times clashed with U.S. policy priorities. Both senators said those meetings went well, though they continued to express concerns about Colombia’s relationships with China and Venezuela.
Moreno, in particular, criticized joint security operations between Colombia and Venezuela, saying it “really kind of hurts” given the U.S. military partnership with Colombia dating back decades.
The senators’ visit also coincided with Colombia’s preparation for election, which both described as potentially decisive for the country’s future direction.
Moreno, who noted that his parents are buried in Bogotá and that he would visit their graves during his trip, concluded with an optimistic vision despite his warnings. “I think this relationship is in the future going to be never stronger than it was going to be in the past,” he said. “I think we’re looking at a bright, golden age for this relationship.”
This article was written with assistance from Artificial Intelligence.
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