August 7, 2020 marks the second anniversary of the inauguration of Iván Duque as President of Colombia and the midpoint of his administration. The first half of his tenure has been marked by the responses to difficult situations: among others, the massive social movement in late 2019 and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic that has led to an unprecedented health crisis. As a consequence of the latter, a massive economic slowdown has accentuated problems such as poverty and unemployment. The response to this crisis, more than his initial policy objectives, will determine how Duque is judged in the future.
In terms of foreign policy, Duque has two major issues to confront: attempts to reestablish democracy in Venezuela and navigating relations with China without undermining decades of alliance with the United States. This document will describe how Colombia Risk Analysis believes that the Duque administration will address this broad list of challenges in its final two years.
