The mayor of Medellin on Thursday extended a formal invitation to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to visit Colombia’s second city in order to observe the city’s transformation first hand.
Mayor Anibal Gaviria made the invitation after Hillary Clinton praised his city’s change from a dysfunctional basket case to a successful, modern city that could be viewed as an example for emerging Arab democracies looking for a frame of reference in tackling their security problems.
“I believe it’s a tremendous recognition of how Medellin transformed and continues to transform, and a tremendous boost for all of us to continue advancing, hand in hand in this process,” Gaviria said in response to Clinton’s comments.
Hillary Clinton’s tenure as U.S. secretary of state will soon draw to a close, with John Kerry looking like her most probable replacement.