Políticas Públicas/María Claudia Lacouture/Estados Unidos y Colombia: Hoja de ruta 2026-2030

United States and Colombia: Roadmap 2026-2030 María Claudia Lacouture May 22, 2026 María Claudia Lacouture, president of the Colombian-American Chamber of Commerce, presented an agenda for relations between Colombia and the United States for the period 2026-2030 to the Public Policy group. Lacouture identified the key variables that frame the Colombia-United States relationship. These are: (i) national security; (ii) bilateral trade; (iii) migration to the United States; (iv) technology, data, and critical infrastructure; (v) Colombia's integration with the Western Hemisphere; and (vi) the pressure for tangible results. She emphasized that, within this relationship, the issues of security, drug trafficking, and relations with China are particularly sensitive. She noted that the Colombian-American Chamber of Commerce has recommended a swift response from the incoming government to revitalize relations with the United States. For example, he mentioned that in the first 72 hours after the new president's election, the new president should set the tone for the relationship, send messages to the U.S. government, and indicate who will be responsible for managing bilateral ties. In the following 47 days, the new government should define the concrete agenda for the relationship. Within 86 days, specific security issues should be addressed, as the deadline for Colombia's certification or decertification is September 15. Finally, within the first 100 days, key projects within the framework of the bilateral relationship should be finalized. Lacouture also expressed concern about the decline in foreign investment from the United States in Colombia, which fell from $5.4 billion in 2024 to $3.4 billion in 2025, as a result of uncertainty and a lack of legal certainty. Finally, he concluded that with collaboration between the two countries and the development of joint projects, Colombian exports to the United States could experience significant growth. Guest Profile María Claudia Lacouture studied finance and international relations at Externado University of Colombia and holds a master's degree in economics and marketing from Cornell University in the United States. Since 2017, she has been the president of the Colombian-American Chamber of Commerce, AmCham Colombia, and since 2021, she has chaired Aliadas, an alliance of 40 business associations and trade groups. She served as Minister of Trade, Industry, and Tourism and as president of ProColombia during the administration of Juan Manuel Santos. She led the memorable campaigns “Colombia is Passion” and “Discover Colombia through your heart” during the administration of Álvaro Uribe Vélez. She is a columnist for the newspaper La República and Caracol Radio. More information at: https://politicaspublicas.com.co/esta...