Gallego Met with President Petro and Spoke at ANDI’s Annual Business Conference
WASHINGTON – This week, Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) traveled to Colombia on a bipartisan congressional delegation (CODEL) trip with Senator Bernie Moreno (R-OH). They are the first two Colombian Americans ever elected to the U.S. Senate. The purpose of the visit was to strengthen bilateral relations, as well as discuss organized crime, the business climate, and China’s growing influence in the country.
Thursday
On Thursday, Senator Gallego met with candidates for Colombia’s 2026 presidential elections, as well as with members of the Colombian Congress from various parties. He then met with Colombian mayors and business leaders.
Senators Gallego and Moreno meet with candidates for Colombia’s 2026 presidential elections
Senators Gallego and Moreno meet with Colombian mayors
In the afternoon, the Senator spoke on a panel hosted by the National Business Association of Colombia (ANDI) at their 10th annual Business Conference. It was moderated by Juan Lozano, current director of La FM, and Juan Carlos Pinzón, former Colombian Ambassador to the US. The full video is here.
“I actually think it’s in the interest of Colombia that we continue moving forward to the eradication of coca, as well as to try and disempower the narco state,” said Senator Gallego. “The more coca you have, the more the narco state becomes more powerful than the state.”
Senator Gallego also warned against military action in the region amid increased tensions between the Trump Administration and President Nicolás Maduro.
“I don’t see the American public supporting any type of military action against Venezuela. And you know, we just got out of a 20-year war. I fought against terrorists. It was not a fun fight for the time I was there, and there’s a lot of hangover among the American public, both Democratic and Republican, that does not want to see us involved again,” said Senator Gallego. “It doesn’t mean that we won’t do all our maximalist efforts to try to create a situation where Maduro is gone.”
Senator Gallego has expressed support for the Trump Administration designating cartels as foreign terrorist groups to add additional tools the U.S. can use to dismantle their operations.
On the issue of tariffs, the Senator stated that “Businesses have to have certainty […] Arizona is an export state, also of farm goods and products. We’ve had some Colombian contracts that had been cut up. There’s some of the soybean contracts are no longer being bought by Colombian producers because they are worried that that at any point, they could be subject to tariffs or tariff reciprocity.”
Senators Gallego and Moreno speak on a panel hosted by the National Business Association of Colombia (ANDI)
Friday
On Friday in his meeting with Colombian President Gustavo Petro, Senator Gallego pushed him on furthering efforts to combat drug trafficking. The Senator also expressed concern about the safety of presidential candidates in the upcoming Colombian elections given the recent assassination of Miguel Uribe.
Senator Gallego with Colombian President Gustavo Petro
Later in the day, Senator Gallego participated in a panel hosted by the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center on US-Colombia ties. Watch the entire event here.
Senator Gallego discussed how the slow emergence of the Chinese Colombian relationship concerns him, how he hopes that Colombia continues to have a democratically elected government, and how he encourages businesses to choose to nearshore production in Colombia given the strong relationship with the U.S.
He concluded with the following remarks:
“Much like Bernie, I got to where I am because of my Colombian roots of just knowing how to work hard and always trying to figure out how to get that extra mile. And before really understanding the world, it was my Colombian family that taught me really everything about hard work, about studying hard, about being a family man, about taking care of your country, your community,” said Senator Gallego. “And it really helped me get into everything that I’ve done, whether it’s service to my country in the Marines, service to my country in the Senate and the House Representatives. And it drives me now to make sure that we continue to have really good relations between our two countries.”
Senators Gallego and Moreno speak on a panel hosted by the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center
8/16/25