Spanish Prime Minister: No EU visa for Colombians

[Bacchus4.0]

http://colombiareports.com/spanish-prime-minister-no-eu-visa-for-colombians/

Spanish Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy, said on Saturday that Spain will send a request to the European Commission and its member states to drop the requirement for Colombians to get visas for short term stays.

In a phone conversation with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, Rajoy expressed his wish to see Colombia “join the group of Latin American contries that have free trade agreements and do not need visas.”

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According to El Tiempo Mr Rajoy noted the progress that Colombia has made, citing both the peace talks with leftist guerilla group FARC and its commitment to fighting drug traffickers.

In a move that also includes dropping the EU visa requirement for Peruvians, Mr Rajoy said that “Colombians and Peruvians should be able to receive all the benefits of legal and trade liberalization. Colombia and Peru will equate well to its partners in the Pacific Alliance, Mexico, Chile and most recently, Costa Rica, which also have agreements with the European Union do not require short-term visas.”

[COLGATE4]

1. It would be wonderful if this intiative prospers.

The incredibly huge burden the current situation places on decent Colombians wishing to travel is beyond belief.

[Bacchus4.0]

2. true for most poor countries though

I suspect some of this also has to do with the poor economic situation in Spain. Spaniards are probably just as likely to emigrate to COlombia as COlombians to Spain.

[COLGATE4]

3. That's true enough. But the visa requirement has also been used

to harrass legitimate Colombian tourists based on the supposed 'drug connection'. Spain traditionally has been more liable to grant visas to its former possesions than to other nationalities.