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 venezuela, as i said, that is a geopolitical batte battleground. I also value the president represent the unity of the country even in times of heavy political debates but when you look at what is going on in the United States towards venezuela is also important for columbia, my support for the transition of the dictatorship, and i think we have to keep it like that and having the conversation with President Trump and the other president in the other minister of a foreign affairs, that we are stronger than ever on the diplomatic brocade and stronger than ever in terms of the sanctions and i consider that the next steps that started happening today with the opening of the information but the United Nations initiations that were approved yesterday to make me be more optimistic on a daily basis. On negotiations with the yellen have broken off, you believe they might come back or you think its not likely . David, let me be very blunt. When i assumed office, i said i would make an evaluation of the 17 months that the previous ministration had dialogue. And you know what the evaluation showed . Do you know how many terrorist attacks y they performed during those conversations . More than 400. More than 100 people were killed and more than ten people were kidnapped. That is no peace willingness. So i said very clear, if you really want to talk peace, two conditions have to be met. The first one, the Immediate Release of all the kidnapped people. In the second, the end of all the criminal activity. Why, if i engage a form of dialogue or conversation while they keep on using violence, i will be legitimizing violence. So the first thing for them to acknowledge is they are not comparable with the government. They really want peace, the most important thing that they recognize that in the wrong path. And you know what the response was, in january of this year in a police academy, they killed 22 cadets that were students, unarmed. And that for me shows brutality. And also supported by maduro in the territory. Some of the kingpins that were in cuba that participated in also praised that they participated in the plot of the terrorist attack should be set to colombian extradition and not be kept in cuba with the support. My conclusion about this, we really have to build peace but peace has to be billed and legitimized in the form of violence we will be creating new forms of violence every day. Oil is important to your economy in the United States, we have developed a new source of fracking. H using his fracking allowed in columbia and will that help the oil industry of its la cresta work. That is a great question. The United States, lets talk about what is happened in this country. The United States created a policy 12 years ago so the nonconventional oil fields could come with an acceleration. In fact the United States has become not only a selfsufficient in terms of reserves but also has become the number one producer in the world thanks to that. And accommodation with the other sources of exploration. In the case of columbia, and we said this, that we cannot allow practices that would harm the environment and have negative effects on biodiversity but would produce major damage to vehicle systems. So instead of going to the practices that we have from previousns administration which were the authority for commercial and expectation we say, no, we will put that on hold g but we will go to the environment and call people that are experts and asked them to give accommodations. And they made a very important report, an independent report rtat said before we get into the debate whether the nonconventionals are used or not, lets have research violence so out of the research, we can clearly know the impact and how to minimize it, how to manage it and beside rather we really want to go that path or not. So i value what we have done is a demonstration with the environment and in terms of the industry. In your country you have a one term limit on president ial services, you can only serve one term. Seeou were afflicte elected whe, youll be in your 40s when your elected. What we do the rest of your life . All talk to you about that in 2022. I want to make a difference in my country and am a very predictable president and my wife always tells mee that. So im predictable because we have a Government Program and every day i try to accomplish the objectives that i have there. I will work to achieve all the proposals and after 2022 i will call you so you can invite me again and talk about what we accomplished. An as being president of columbia a much of a pleasure or more of a headache. I was believe that having the possibility to work for your country is the greatest honor you can have and being president of columbia. It is a country full of history and great people and resilience and it makes me proud every day. In and i have the drive to achie as much as possible for the goodness of my people. Both have some questions,. [inaudible question] you are friends with bill mclean. Send him my best regards. Can you share your thoughts about what columbia will be looking for for the next president . First of all i feel very proud that columbia has had a tremendous president , he was elected in 2005 and i think his profile in my opinion has been very good for the region. Why, because you have to combine many characteristics and remember a great book with the Harvard Business professor, she said you have to lead the four seats if you want to be a good leader and that means coherence, competence and caring. So i would put that as a characteristics. We also need to have somebody that has a Development Mission for the whole region. About economics, its also about the development goa goals, about the environment and its about the capacity to bring together the private sector, the Public Sector in thehe society. So i hope that those characteristics are met as a country that is going to share the assembly. We have to be partial but i hope the candidates that will be presented with thoseop characteristics. I think they have showed that those characteristics have teallowed him to modernize the bank. Not only by putting the agenda on climate change, gender equality, infrastructure, water in storage but at the same time and the contribution to the revolution in many countries of latin america. Stephen donahue. The marketing part is yours. [laughter] columbia assumes the presidency of the alliance. What are your plans and what were agenda be with the other four countries . And the policies that you have. The first thing is, this year they will be in the presidency and we will take it next year. But what i like about is where the alliance is headed to. So we have the great meeting and were all very enthusiastic that coder can become a member and also working hard to achieve that and i think that gives a very strong power to the alliance in south america. The second thing, and i gave the opinion last year, we have to think more as allies and not just as partners. And by that, if we are going to engage on negotiations, we have to think as a whole alliance and not just your interest of a specific country. And we have the debate because we want to have the discussions with new zealand and become didiher member of the alliance with australia and i made the case. A country like columbia is now willing to open the mail sector at this moment and presents 25 of our agricultural gdp and it generates a lot of employment in a contention wall on inequality in the rural areas. It is not just for the sake of protection but National Security and foode security. And i value that we decided to go together as allies in their something the harms of country and we would have to be able to court made better. It is give you the example. If we keep working as allies we will be much stronger. The third thing, how do we integrate Capital Markets in a more organized and rapid way. It was created with a great vision and we need to have more bills and investment in the local Capital Market and Corporate Governance regulation in a better way and we put that in the agenda and we hope during the presidency week we can exhilarate. Last but not least, it has to do with how on the regulation on sensible sectors, energy, that anything is going to be the next stage of the alliance. How do we pass more from trade to regulation. The good thing about this, columbiitllbe instrumental to t objectives. Thank you so much. Your predecessor negotiated agreement on balance, are you supportive of the agreement and implementing it now as you continue to . As i said in my remarks, we are not puttingev politics with peace. I believe it was a big mistake in columbia to devise the population between friends and enemies of peace for political purposes. So the good thing is, we, colombians have to work to build a peace policy, recalled peace with the galley. And that means everything that could be made a Success Story we have to follow. Everything that can be a Success Story in the states to the places where there was not the right presence, we have to do it but we have to be very clear, we have to correct the things that are not going well. By that, we have to punish those that want to go back to criminality and we need to do something very fast to put in in to the corrupt exper growth of t year. The third thing, we really have to be more effective on getting the victims repaired with the assets of those who said they assetsing to give their for liberation and now working. My conclusion, today columbia, is assuming the challenge of peace with the galley but i think the message that we got from the human and from the United States and that weve gotten from the International Community is that were heading in the right direction and its because the galley as it needs to be combined with peace. Stand up and identify yourself and speak up. [inaudible question] for the fastestgrowingde technology, i was wondering what you could tell me about how your Encouraging Technology and entrepreneurship, i really admire your focus onp the ny i have been following a start up regulation for many years since i was working at the idb and i think the two Major Concerns the entrepreneurs have come up during the first years they always have to look for the three fs in terms of funding. And a friend of mine who is an entrepreneur said friends, food and family. In most of entrepreneurs in latin america have to struggle without having access to finance where they have a good idea and want to start a company. So we have created a system that is called columbia interpret shiinternship. And we try to conl and we are putting all the resources to the funding so we from investment to highng private equity investment. N mber one, number two, most of the startups suffer a lot during the first seven years of performance. Why, because taxation becomes very heavy. So we also launched a policy of 0 income tax for the first seven years in technology and the creative industries, and based on the evidence over a minimum amount of investment in a minimum amount of jobs. With those two things, i think were giving thehet right messas something that impacted me a lot, the information of chambers of commish in the first semester they said wes got 9 increase with companies being initiated in columbia in the first semester of this year, 40 , technology in creativeth indust. I think the message is getting there. But also on the rural areas, we want to bring more intrapreneurs and people who are going to start to fund the startups are focusing on the rural areas would have 0 income tax during the first ten years also with the minimum amount of investment in a minimum amount of jobs. Were starting to see the startups and precision of the culture. In the startups on alternative developments in the startup of environmental experience or the cultural border, so we are also getting the right messages. Last but not least, with the first economy bond in the world. So we reached something close to 150 million and also, i thought it was going to be difficult in the market, and fact in just six months 3000 Companies Got the funding, longterm funding and a very comfortable rate. So this those things are also hoppity. They have been with me all my life. When you were in town you stopped at a bookstore and when you come into a bookstore in washington, d. C. And have a lot of security do people notice you . Are they in line to buy the books customer. Ive lived here 14 years in a just come to politics and prose. I mean myself by a couple of good books that i still miss the days where i could come to washington and have a blue moon with hot wings and without having a big motorcade behind me but its always great to be i in town and this is a city that i love and being able to have a couple of minutes is very enjoyable for me. We have reached our time. I want to thank you for your time here today and thank you all for coming. I appreciate your willingness to be here and youre always willing to come back. [applause] thank you so much, david. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] next and debate with the two republicans who are currently challenging President Trump for the partys nomination in 2020. Former Massachusetts Governor in illinois congressman joe walsh, the president s action and his approach to governing. After that, Hillary Clinton takes remarks at an event at women working to advance global peace and security. Her speech includes comments about the impeachment inquiry against President Trump. Then the president of columbia talks about the future of his country. Acting director of National IntelligenceJoseph Maguire was on capitol hill testifying on his handling of the whistleblower complaint. 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Be passionate about what you discussed to express review new matter how large or small you think the audience will receive it to be. And no in the greatest country of the history of earth, your view does matter. For more information go to our website, student cam. Work. ,. Good evening and welcome to Business Insider 2029 mary debate, im a politics insider. I am Lynette Lopez a columnist of Business Insider. Will hear from two insiders former Massachusetts Governor and former illinois congressman joe walsh. Thank you. Business insider is committed both to consider perspectives that do f