Press Releases: Secretary Pompeo Travels to Brazil and Colombia To Strengthen Prosperity, Security, and Democracy

Fact Sheet

Robert Palladino

Deputy Spokesperson

Washington, DC

December 28, 2018

Secretary Pompeo is leading a Presidential Delegation to Brazil for the inauguration of President-elect Jair Bolsonaro, a leader who has expressed interest in closer ties with the United States and our regional allies.
We welcome the opportunity to forge a close and comprehensive partnership with South America’s most populous democracy and the world’s eighth-largest economy. Our close cooperation has the potential to make our countries more prosperous and more secure. Together, we will support democracy throughout the Western Hemisphere.
The Secretary’s trip to Cartagena, Colombia, to meet with President Ivan Duque furthers our strong partnership with Colombia on shared goals, including building a more prosperous and secure hemisphere.

INCREASING ECONOMIC PROSPERITY

As the two largest economies in the region with approximately $100 billion in bilateral trade per year, this new chapter in Brazil’s democracy presents an historic opportunity for expanded prosperity in the bilateral, U.S.-Brazil relationship.
The United States held a trade-in-goods surplus with Brazil of $7.8 billion for 2017. We will seek to increase trade and investment between our countries, including increasing opportunities for U.S. businesses in technology, defense, and agriculture.
We applaud President-elect Bolsonaro for standing up for Brazilian sovereignty in the face of China’s predatory trade and lending practices.
The Secretary’s visit to Colombia will build on our countries’ mutual successes under the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement, which has doubled U.S. agricultural exports, to $2.53 billion in 2017 from nearly $1.3 billion in 2011.

DEFENDING AND STREGTHENING DEMOCRACY

Brazil’s latest free and fair election demonstrates the stability and integrity of the country’s democratic institutions.
As the two largest democracies in the hemisphere, our partnership is based on shared values and commitments to democracy and the rule of law, public security, education, and human rights.
The United States will work with Brazil to support the peoples of Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua who are struggling to live in freedom against repressive regimes. We welcome President-elect Bolsonaro’s commitment to stand up to tyrants.
In Colombia, the Secretary will meet with President Ivan Duque, commend Colombia for assisting Venezuelans fleeing the Maduro regime, and thank President Duque for his commitment to increasing pressure on Caracas to restore democracy in Venezuela.

ADVANCING GLOBAL AND REGIONAL SECURITY

We seek to deepen our cooperation with Brazil and Colombia against transnational crime, including counter-narcotics, terrorism, and threats to international peace and security, like North Korea.