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Former Colombian President Iván Duque once again criticized the governments of Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua, stating that these countries have served as platforms for the expansion of organized crime in the region and that the restoration of democracy in them is a priority for hemispheric security.
The statements were made during an interview granted to Diálogo Américas, a publication specializing in security and defense issues related to the United States Southern Command.
"They have promoted organized crime from their territories," stated Duque while referring to the governments of Havana, Caracas, and Managua, which he blamed for contributing to the deterioration of regional security.
The former president, who governed Colombia from 2018 to 2022, stated that the restoration of institutional and democratic order in those three countries is a fundamental task for the continent.
During the conversation, Duque identified three significant challenges facing Latin America and the Caribbean: urban violence, the growth of transnational organized crime, and illegal economies linked to drug trafficking and money laundering. He also noted that, despite constituting a relatively small fraction of the global population, the region accounts for an disproportionate share of the homicides recorded worldwide.
In response, he proposed a regional strategy based on intelligence sharing, cooperation among governments, and the coordinated application of sanctions against criminal structures.
Duque also warned about the expansion of criminal organizations in various Latin American countries and about the increasing connection between drug trafficking networks operating in different parts of the continent.
The statements come in a context of growing regional concern over the influence of transnational criminal groups and the role that some governments play in the fight against these organizations.
The position of the former Colombian president regarding Cuba is not new. During his term, he maintained significant differences with Havana, particularly due to the presence of negotiators from the National Liberation Army (ELN) on the island and the Cuban government's refusal to extradite members of that guerrilla organization sought by Colombia.
In recent years, Duque has reiterated in various international forums his criticisms of the governments of Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua, which he often groups together as authoritarian regimes that undermine the democratic stability of the region.
After the interview was released, the former president reiterated his stance on the social media platform X, where he emphasized that the restoration of democracy in those three countries is a necessary condition to strengthen security and stability in the hemisphere.
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