"Es un insulto": Bernie Moreno ante cuestionamientos de Petro sobre resultados de elecciones

US Republican Senator Bernie Moreno, one of President Donald Trump's closest allies, called Colombian President Gustavo Petro's refusal to recognize the preliminary vote count results from the first round of the presidential election held this Sunday in Colombia "an insult to the people who worked so hard." In an exclusive interview with José Manuel Acevedo, director of RCN News, Moreno, who traveled to the South American country as an international observer, offered a positive assessment of the Colombian electoral process. "I saw an election that was absolutely managed almost perfectly. Not only were the people very well trained, but the process of how they do it is also excellent. I think the United States should learn from Colombia," the senator stated. The US legislator highlighted the record-high number of observers and considered the Colombian electoral system to be "a standard for the world." However, he expressed his opinion regarding President Petro's questioning of the results: "I think it's probably an insult to the people who worked so hard yesterday." "His opinions are baseless," he declared. When asked about the candidates who advanced to the second round, Abelardo de la Estrella and Iván Cepeda, Moreno avoided directly stating his preferences, arguing that his role as an observer prevents him from taking sides publicly. "The decision of who will be the president of Colombia on August 7 is solely and exclusively the decision of the Colombian people," he emphasized. Regarding a possible endorsement by President Trump of any candidate, the senator noted that "that is his decision," but stressed that "that will not change the power that the Colombian people have over the vote." Moreno reiterated on multiple occasions during the interview that the electoral decision belongs exclusively to Colombians. The senator confirmed that he will return to Colombia to observe the second round on June 21 and expressed his optimism about the country's future: "The best years for this country are ahead." He also highlighted the importance of ending "the polarization of the country and also inequality" as key factors for development. For its part, the U.S. State Department issued a statement supporting "the right of the Colombian people to freely elect their political leaders." The White House, in response to NTN24, celebrated its participation "along with other international missions" in the election observation and highlighted "the more than 200-year friendship with Colombia." #NTN24 | More information at http://www.ntn24.com | Or in Venezuela at http://www.ntn24america.com Subscribe to our channel:    / ntn24   Follow us on our social media! Twitter:   / ntn24   Facebook:   / ntn24   Instagram:   / ntn24