Colombia is over 1,500 miles away from the United States, yet the outcome of its presidential election will affect America’s security, its border, and its influence in the Western Hemisphere far more than many realize.

For decades, the U.S.-Colombia relationship stood as one of the strongest strategic partnerships in the Western Hemisphere. Built on shared democratic values and strengthened through Plan Colombia, it helped weaken powerful cartels, improve security, promote economic growth, and demonstrate what close cooperation between democratic allies can accomplish.