Colombia's Petro supports lifting Venezuela sanctions in Biden meeting

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has told President Joe Biden in their first meeting that he supports lifting sanctions on the leftist government in Venezuela.

Petro, Colombia's first leftist president, met with Biden in the White House and told reporters afterward on Thursday that he discussed a strategy for resolving the crisis in Venezuela which is deeply isolated by US and European sanctions.

"A strategy was proposed..., which is to hold elections first and then lift sanctions. Or gradually — as an electoral agenda is fulfilled, those sanctions are also lifted in parallel," Petro said.

He said he and Biden had discussed a conference on Venezuela hosted by Colombia next week, with foreign ministers from Europe, Latin America, and the United States.

Washington supports the lifting of sanctions for democracy, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters on Thursday.

"We've long been clear that that we will — we would — review our sanctions policies in response to constructive steps by the Nicolas Maduro regime and if the Venezuelan parties can make meaningful progress in return to a democracy."

READ MORE: Leaders of Colombia, Venezuela meet as 'sister nations' improve ties

Drug trafficking business

Calling Colombia a "key" to the hemisphere, Biden said Petro had been "outspoken and strong" on human rights in a region with a long history of abuses and armed conflict.

The US president highlighted Colombia's welcoming of large numbers of refugees from neighbouring Venezuela, which has suffered years of economic collapse and violent political tension.

Petro told reporters after his talks that he had asked Biden for help in developing a new, more targeted approach to the decades-long, US-backed military campaign against drug lords in Colombia.

The key is to "the drug trafficking business community, which is done through intelligence work, tracing their assets and their money," he said. "I requested a little more help in that regard. We need more vessels, more boats, more drones."

In his Oval Office remarks, Petro highlighted that he sees "democracy, freedom and peace" as a "common agenda."

And he emphasised the need for an "in-depth" shift from fossil fuels to a green economy — something Biden has prioritised during his presidency, with a historic funding bill to encourage climate-friendly technology.

"We have the greatest potential for democracy and freedom in the Americas, as well as the greatest potential for green energies," Petro said.

Petro was elected in June in part of a wave of left-leaning leaders to win power in Latin America.

Colombia's presidential office said the visit to the White House was "a milestone in consolidating the relationship between Colombia and the United States in this new moment."

READ MORE: Colombia, Venezuela open key bridge as diplomatic ties reestablished