Two U.S. Democratic senators met with the presidential candidate for Colombia’s Green Party, Antanas Mockus, on Wednesday, after meeting with his election rival, Juan Manuel Santos, reports Colombian media.
Senators Christopher Dodd (Connecticut) and Mark Warner (West Virginia) were joined by the U.S.’s ambassador to Colombia, William Brownfield, in their meetings with the competing candidates.
Neither senator would comment on the issues addressed during the meetings, which took place in Colombia’s capital, Bogota.
Dodd and Warner are this week undertaking a tour of Colombia, Peru and Ecuador, where they will meet with various politicians.
On Wednesday, the senators met Colombian President Alvaro Uribe to say that the two countries’ free trade agreement (FTA) will not be implemented before the end of the year, primarily due to a lack of time. According to Dodd, only 40 days of legislative sessions remain before Congress breaks for its summer recess, which does not leave sufficient time for the FTA to be finalized.