A former Colombian president stripped of his U.S. visa for taking money from the nation's biggest drug cartel is back on American soil for the first time in two decades.
Ernesto Samper published Friday on Twitter a photo of himself in New York shaking hands with U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon. Samper last year was named secretary general of the Unasur grouping of South American nations.
He said that top on his agenda at the U.N are peace talks in Colombia and the situation in crisis-ridden Venezuela.
Semana magazine published a photo of Samper standing outside the Chrysler building and reported that he breezed past immigration authorities flashing a diplomatic passport.
Samper says he was unaware of funds donated to his campaign by the Cali cartel. But U.S. authorities have showed no interest in lifting the travel ban.
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