SOUTHCOM hosts defense ministers' security dialogue

Photo By Jose Ruiz | Colombian Minister of Defense Juan Carlos Pinzón, left, talks to fellow defense and public security ministers from Central America and Mexico about Colombia's experiences and lessons learned after implementing Plan Colombia and other follow-up security programs. U.S. Southern Command hosted the ministers and other defense leaders from the region at its headquarters Sept. 18 for daylong discussions on approaches to security challenges in Central America. (Photo by Jose Ruiz)  

MIAMI, FL, UNITED STATES

09.18.2014

Courtesy Story

U.S. Southern Command

MIAMI – U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) hosted defense and public security ministers from Colombia and Central America, and defense leaders from Mexico at its headquarters today for a daylong discussion on regional security.

U.S. Marine Gen. John Kelly, SOUTHCOM commander, and Dr. Rebecca Bill Chavez, deputy assistant secretary of defense for Western Hemisphere Affairs, were among U.S. defense leaders participating in the ministerial gathering.

Dr. Frank Mora, director of the Latin American and Caribbean Center at Florida International University, moderated the dialogue among the region’s top defense leaders.

Colombian Defense Minister Juan Carlos Pinzón and other Colombian defense leaders shared lessons learned during Plan Colombia and follow-on programs implemented by their country over the past 14 years.

During that period, Colombia has strengthened government institutions, improved citizen security, reduced illicit drug cultivation and production, and established an ongoing dialogue for peace with the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC).

In 2012, U.S. President Barack Obama and Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos announced the U.S.-Colombia Action Plan on Regional Security Cooperation. Since then, Colombia has increasingly shared its expertise to assist countries from Central America and other regions threatened by violence associated with transnational organized crime. It has trained thousands of police and justice officials and provided additional assistance in areas such as interdictions, asset forfeiture, investigations, and polygraphs.

This fiscal year, the action plan includes more than 150 planned capacity-building activities with six countries from Central America and the Caribbean.

The delegations from Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama and the United States also discussed ongoing and emerging security challenges in Central America, as well as the development of a regional approach to address threats impacting countries in the region during today’s meeting.

Transnational criminal networks and organizations operating in the region have contributed to a significant increase in violence over the past several years, most notably in an area known as the “Northern Triangle” that includes Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala.

Since 2008, the U.S. has provided more than $642 million in assistance to the region as part of the Central American Regional Security Initiative (CARSI) to assist law enforcement and security forces, strengthen regional law enforcement and justice-sector capabilities, and advance community crime prevention and social development programs.

As part of its support to CARSI goals, U.S. military assistance to the region has mainly consisted of infrastructure projects, equipment donations, training, and assessments aimed at helping defense and security institutions improve border security, maritime security, aerial security, interagency and joint operations, information sharing, riverine patrols, human rights training and doctrine, communications, maintenance, and logistics.

For more information about U.S. Southern Command visit www.southcom.mil.

• Date Taken: 09.18.2014
• Date Posted: 09.18.2014 18:18
• Story ID: 142634
• Location: MIAMI, FL, US