Pompeo finishes Latin America tour with focus on Venezuela

BOGOTA, Colombia — Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Saturday wrapped up a tour of four South American countries — three of them neighbors of Venezuela, whose socialist government is under intense U.S. pressure.

After a meeting with Colombian President Ivan Duque on Saturday, the two vowed to deepen ties — including U.S. investment in the country’s struggling economy — and Pompeo praised Colombia’s tough stance against Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.

Pompeo said Colombia’s backing of opposition leader Juan Guaidó “and the democratic transition for a sovereign Venezuela free of malign influence from Cuba, from Russia, from Iran, is incredibly valued.

“You are a true leader for the region and the dignity of all of its people,” he said at a news conference.

In a separate statement, Pompeo announced an additional $348 million in aid for Venezuelans, including some 5 million who have left the crisis-wracked nation. His office said that new funding brings the total amount of U.S. humanitarian and development assistance toward the Venezuela crisis to more than $1.2 billion since 2017.

Duque highlighted a report by the U.N.’s top human rights body accusing Maduro’s government of crimes against humanity, including torture and killings carried out by security forces. “The situation there is unsustainable,” he said.

Shoring up support for the Trump administration’s Venezuela policy was a key focus of the trip, which included stops in Guyana and Brazil, where Pompeo emphasized U.S. calls for a presidential election to replace Maduro. He also stopped in Suriname, like Guyana a budding oil exporter.

Duque said he is hoping to attract more U.S. investment to Colombia, and he hailed a U.S. government initiative aimed at enhancing private sector investment in infrastructure.