As the chairman of foreign relations. Like to welcome our members. We are pleased today to have the president of columbia. Here is our special guest. Not unfamiliar with d. C. , hess been here 14 years. He got some of his degrees hear from American University into George Washington university. Hes trained as a lawyer and worked here at the department where he served as a officer in the area and special advisor to the president of the bank on columbia. He was elected june 2018 and keassumed office august 2018. Make opening remarks and following thought, i will preside over some questions and anyone here who wants to ask a question can do so. We will go exactly until 9 30 p. M. The thing is on the record so when you have a question, stand up. Identify yourself, your affiliation and ask your question, not a statement. One question a person. [applause] good morning. Its a great pleasure for me to be here with you. I want to thank you for your introduction. I want to welcome friends, my purpose this morning is to, intent minutes try to describe where columbia is heading and why its important the state is in these days. After i finish that, who opened the session for q and a. Let me begin by saying that columbia is in the process of the great transformation. for the presidency, i said i wanted a columbia based on three pillars. Legality, which is a rule of law. Columbia must embrace and be able to call for more International Investment and transform its economy for Industrial Revolution. Last but not least, the major objective of our administration, closed the social gaps. If i may put it in terms of an equation, we always said ualegality plus interpreter ship equals fairness for closing social gaps. Thats the reason why since i embraced the cost of running for presidency, ied said america is not divided between right and left. Latin america is witnessing political spectrum where there are two kinds of countries. Thee demagogues and pedagogues. The demagogues are those who promise the holy land. We say in spanishsh [ [speakg in spanish] so they try to sell a society full ofup promises and at the end, they end up destroying it. They end up destroying liberties, weakening media, any form of citizen participation. The pedagogues are the ones who are in society with big purposes. They are aligned with promoting the spirit independent institutions and also motivate a permanent citizen participation. I consider our administration and columbia itself is a good example. Thats why we have been able to implement very important policies and thats why you look at where was columbia 20 years ago and where is it today . I think columbia has been one of the most important Success Stories in latin america. I must also say that the achievement that columbia has accomplished have also to do with an important support but particularly that columbia has received from the u. S. A very strong bipartisan support when it comes to congress in order to achieve many of the most important transformations. One year ago, our administration decided to move forward on the results. We decided we wanted columbia to become a high income country. That might not happen substantially in the next three years. You might ask why . Columbia has 11007 the rest of the countries have incomes that are about 30,000 dollars. So the question is, how long would it take us to reach those levels of income . It will take us 100 years goinge at 1 but it took two decades or less if we grow above 5 . Thats where we want columbia to head. Thats what we want columbia to embrace, to be able to grow and close the social gaps. So the first thing we did figure ago, we wanted columbia to differentiate from the rest of the country in the region and adopt a competitive probusiness taxation policy. So instead of looking at what happened in the past we have tax reforms for the state wanted to spend more, with high levels of taxations the affected competitivenessde, they shoot ay the investment, we made the most important reforms in terms of lowering corporate taxes toxe small and large corporations. Just in one year, we have seen Foreign Direct Investment in columbia past 24 . Weve seen also latin america and korea expected to grow 0. 5 this year, columbia expected to grow above 3 . Why . We had given the right signals. We introduced important reforms like telcom and Information Technology where we pass a bill so by 2022, 70 of the columbia population will have fast Speed Internet and moved to throughout the country. Thats why we also introduce a reform to cut red tape and in one year, weve been able to digitalize, eliminate or minimize more than 1000 procedures that were heavily costly for the private sector. We have also introduced the Fourth Industrial Revolution for regulation. When the administration began, i spoke and said i want to work with economic form to bring the Industrial Revolution to our country. They said it would not take long. In less than a year, we have the First IndustrialResolution Center in a Spanish Speaking country. Its raised on a i watching. We have put together a mission to develop local Capital Market with the support from mit and 80 we are about to embrace and a couple of reforms that should be taken to congress. Those things are happening in columbia has been experiencing the best years of the tourism sector. Last year we had 4. 2 million resident visitors. Highest in 15 years. This year the numbers are going to be even better. Also, Household Consumption rates reached the highest in 44 months. Energy consumption, a good indicator of how the gdp is behaving is growing at 4. 1 . The highest of the last years. I think columbia is open forep business, embraced interpreter ship and looks toward the future a country that wants to become latin america. A couple of months ago i saw him and the Artist Technology investment in the world hasfli created 5 billion for latin america. In the first visit to the region, he saw whats taking place in columbia they already invested 1 billion in one single company. They are looking at more companies and startups have been in the market three or four years with high potential of becoming whats so called unicorns, which are companies that grow at three digital levels and very fast. This is what columbia looks like it will look like in economic terms. We need to see with clarity that any effort we can make successfully on developing the private sector has to be connected with the social all caps. We have been able to give strong signals. The highest budget ever in education and health, we have granted what we call subsidies of Interest Rates and tours of the poor to acquire housing and in one year, we have given more of those lines of credit and support and given in the last four years. This also allows me to put the idea that is not just the government giving solutions but its allowing people to vandalize and change lives. We have made a program so that people pay 120 a month. With a fixed pair line of credit in terms of interest and monthly payment. Making this is going to be a major social success. We have also brought water and sanitation in one year to more than 450,000 colombians. We been able to take to 16000 families for the first time in electricity, using individuals solar panels. Weve been able to see the first 80000 students, now we are 67000 that will go to free for public universities. Connected to the programs that will give them skills soo they can be successful in timesfo of the industrial resolution. At the same time, making important reforms connected to interpreter ship but at the same time, social gaps when it comes to energy. We been able to put together reforms that allows us to pass less than 60 of the capacity to get to 1500 by the end of our administration. We will surpass that target. We passed the electoral vehicle bill so we have greener transportation. We have proven for the first time in latin america. We created the First National council against deportation and we gather to reproduce, reduce in one year. We can protect that very important sanctuary for biodiversity and the world. So all this is happening and its connected with the rule of law. I believe in peace. Were not an administration that is against peace. I think the worst mistake committed in the last years in columbia was for political reasons, the colombians were divided between friends or enemies of peace. We are all friends of peace with the exception of those who want to embrace terrorism and violence to express themselves or intimidate the population. Thats why we built a policy that has spelled peace with legality and highly compromised of making a Success Story out of their incorporation process of those whoto have loved criminality, weapons and want to engage into a path of legality, sharing the columbia population. In one year, with this policy, we can make the right comparisons in an event we have here in d. C. Twenty years passed first. We have been in office 13 months. When you look at how many collective productive projects were approved before our oath of office, just to. Today we are 29. We have approved 27. Reaching more than 1400 members with alternatives for their lives. The Development Plans, which are the cornerstone of the support of the people, in those regions badly affected by terrorism, they saw in 20 months, only two were created. We have already finished 16th. We made 14 of the Development Plans happen by calling the people to get their takes, their prospects, objectives. We have called the private sector to actively participate in what we call works for taxes. More than 150 billion have been used to attend the communities. We have been also able to put together the First National catastrophe policy that was crucial so we can have a better policy framework for land, formalization and be able to differentiate uses of land in favor of the most productive activity. We had a great support u. S. , former ambassador participated actively in the policy, thank you for being here ambassador. Went to our town brutalized for many years by militaries and guerrilla members. We had to first massive plan piping program ever performed in columbia. Not only we granted the titles but we made formalization available but we also make the most multipurpose so we could use the land for the people. All those things are taking place in columbia. I can say this ison based on two important principles. Achieving a Success Story of the incorporation process and be strong. Hard. Bring to justice those who want to go back. Expansion a of illegal crops gw at expression at all levels. From 2016 2018. The groups in columbia that were above the 100 number in the year 2010, we assumed office there were only 23. Today we have more than 110. And we have been able for the first time in seven years with our determination, for the growth and start having a reduction. Why am i so insistent on this topic, because with more there will be less peace. Defeating illegal crops is crucial for the future of columbia and theres no silver bullet, it is not that we want to find one single solution but we have to combine them all in the right way and thats why we approved a policy and a future route that involves all the measures that are possible which is eradication, substitution, development, payment for Environmental Services and being able to have precision when needed in considering many of the fields are full of landmines or supported by snipers and paid by the cartel. So we need to combine them all because we definitely need to get rid of necrotic trafficking of those illegal groups. Last but not least, i must make a reference on venezuela. Because, what is happening in venezuela is not only a threat to columbia, its a threat to s the Regional Security that dictatorship of Nicolas Maduro has been supporting terrorist groups in the territory and is only comparable with what the world saw and what the taliban regimes Andal Al Qaeda inside of afghanistan to plot against United States and the world. What Nicolas Maduro is doing is terrorist groups in his territory and thats why i strongly support the bravery of one juan guaido and to offer all the collaboration to the clumping authorities so we identify with those criminals are and we can take them to justice. But the other thing, they brutalize the people in a way that has only compared with what we saw more than 20 years ago. So it is a moral duty to denounce and to do whatever is needed so dictatorship comes to an end. This is not a geopolitical debate. This is not a dispute between world powers. This is common sense. This is the defense of the values and principles that we share in that have been the cornerstone of our society. So that is why we need to do everything that is needed and i welcome this morning after the evidence that was shared by many countries in the United Nations journal assembly, a new Investigation Panel has been conformed to not only investigate but be very assertive in the announcements that can be good against Nicolas Maduro and his intercircle. But the effects of that dictatorship is the worst migration crisis latin american has seen in its regions history. We have received 1. 4 million venezuelan brothers and sisters in columbia. It generates a social stress and what we are doing is morally right, we have immigration policy, we have been able to attend with healthcare, education, fascination, we even recognize the citizens of columbia, more than 25000 children that were about to lose the right to the nationality. Can this be sustainable . Obviously no. Having 5000 migrants leaving columbia per day is not sustainable. But we know, that for now we need to provide attention and we need to call other countries to support the attention of the migrant so that is why in the one hand we support the venezuelan people and in the other hand we are working with the biggest coalition ever seen in the region against the dictatorship with the diplomatic in lima group and the sanctions that have been introduced by receptacles. Now i can say something, why columbia has achieved of growing above 3 , having such an abundant flow of investment, at times where we are facing such a migration challenge, it only demonstrates that the colombian economy and its people are very resilient. We know, that we must follow all the tracks that i mentioned today it equals fairness or closing the social gaps. Im very happy the president of columbia to be here and be abler to share with you some of the things that we are putting together for the future ofo our country and i want to think many of you who have looked at columbia, worked for come columbia so that we are the nation that we are today. Thank you so much. [applause] thank you for your remarks. When you were previously living in washington, you do not have a motorcade, is the easier getting around with the motorcade . I used to use the metro. Lets talk about venezuela. Is it your view that maduro is likely to survive and you have a view whether military intervention by the United States would be appropriate or desirable . The first thing, david, as i mentioned a while ago the situation in venezuela is really the biggest crisis that we have seen in latin america in many years. The level of your tally, the level of brutality in Human Rights Violations that are being performed on a permanent basis by dictatorship is only can person to what we saw. So its to get maduro out of power. And for Transitional Government and also a call for free elections. That is the first thing. Second task have left venezuela in the last three years. We have received 1. 4 Million People which is the equivalent of 3 of the columbia population in three years. So how can this come to an end . What is it that we can do. I value that this week in the United NationsGeneral Assembly that the american treaty was called initiations and stronger sanctions were put in place. So i hope the solution is going to be triggered by this stronger diplomatic regime and it is done in a peaceful way. When i mean peaceful, that itll be up to the Venezuelan Military and police to make the choice of the lives. Do they want to be on the right side of the history or continue brutalizing their country. I believe things are moving on the first one. Is that coming from cuba and russia . Is that we see the military and Financial Support . He has received a lot of support from the cuban government for a long time. And they always play the same old, same oldey games. So they tried to sell the negotiation, they call the opposition in every single time that they do that, they really start plotting how do they affect more the opposition, demonize the people in the opposition, how did they brutalize people in the opposition. That is why i have never trusted in those instruments and i consider that cuba, looking at what is really happening in venezuela should move out in terms of not keeping the support that they have for maduro. We, the countries that are signatories of the democratic charter must also make a call for the cubans not to keep interfering to support a brutal regime. If we compare as evidence shows, anyone who supports him shows that. When you are at the un did you have a chance to see President Trump . We had a very important meeting President Trump in the state of latin america. And first of all recording nation of the meeting i liked. We are not looking at venezue