colombia and venezuela

Gustavo Petro: the guerilla-turned-president who wants to "develop capitalism"

GZERO World with Ian Bremmer

Gustavo Petro: the guerilla-turned-president who wants to "develop capitalism"

Colombia is Latin America’s longest-standing democracy, but it’s never elected a leftist president … until now. Gustavo Petro swept to power by a slim margin in June, thanks largely to young Colombian voters. What do they want from him? Change. It won't be easy. Petro wants to provide free university education and health care, to end oil exploration, and to tax the rich. Will he deliver? On GZERO World, Colombia's new leader sits down with Ian Bremmer in his first American interview to talk about his plans for Colombia's future, his views on the War on Drugs, and how he'll handle relations with Venezuela and the US.

Restoring ties with Venezuela is a no-brainer for Colombia's new president

GZERO World Clips

Restoring ties with Venezuela is a no-brainer for Colombia's new president

One of Gustavo Petro's first moves after becoming president of Colombia was to restore diplomatic ties with neighboring Venezuela. Why? Petro says that closing the border between two countries who share the same blood has led to an economic "catastrophe." What's more, he tells Ian Bremmer on GZERO World, globalization at its purest is about trade between neighbors like Colombia and Venezuela, which the previous government destroyed "to the point of stupidity."