WASHINGTON—Representative Eliot L. Engel, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, today made the following statement:

“I congratulate Ivan Duque on his election as the next president of Colombia. President-elect Duque will inherit a U.S. - Colombia partnership that has benefited from nearly two decades of bipartisan support from the United States Congress. I look forward to working with the President-elect to further strengthen this important relationship.

“After a half-century civil war, Colombia is now at peace. But, many challenges remain. I look forward to supporting the President-elect in implementing a peace process that benefits the poor in the country’s most rural areas, improving the protections available for human rights defenders and putting in place smart drug policies that reduce cocaine production without harming the environment or small farmers.

“Finally, I am particularly pleased to congratulate Marta Lucia Ramirez on her election as Vice President and the country’s first woman to hold this post.”

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