Colombia’s President-elect Juan Manuel Santos on Thursday met with Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero on Thursday to reinforce the “existing good relations between the two countries,” Caracol reports
Referring to his meeting with Zapatero, the president-elect said that the relationship with Spain was good, but could still be improved.
“It interests us that Spain might invest more in us to generate more jobs and more economic growth. We have many opportunities and we want it to be Spanish businesses that benefit,” explained the president-elect.
Santos highlighted infrastructure, water and agriculture as areas that might interest Spanish investors.
The incoming president also met with the Spanish King Juan Carlos I, who he described as “a great friend of Colombia, and very interested in helping our country.”
“With him we saw how we could further strenghten relations between Spain and Colombia, just as we did with President Zapatero.”
Santos announced that he will meet the former Spanish judge Baltasar Garzon this Friday. He did not rule out the possibility that Garzon would advise Colombia on human rights issues and legal matters.
“The possibility exists” said Santos, adding that the judge “has been very positive in helping the government legitimize the controversial “justice and peace” process which was put in place to demobilize paramilitary organization AUC.
Outside the official schedule, the future president will also meet ex Spanish president Felipe Gonzalez and the chairman of the Popular Party, Mariano Rajoy.
