Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
Honduras looks with marked optimism on the Government of the new President of the United States Joe Biden to increase cooperation through the Alliance for the Prosperity of the Northern Triangle, appoint a new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Tegucigalpa and support collaboration in the fight against corruption, drug trafficking and criminal networks operating from the region.
Some of these points were part of the campaign commitment of the forty-sixth president of the United States and are expected to materialize in the first year of his tenure at the head of the White House, which just begins tomorrow. Wednesday, January 20th.
Recently elected, Biden promised increase by $ 4 billion the cooperation for the North Triangle of Central America that composes Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador to cut the causes that generate the massive migration of citizens of these three countries to the USA through the migratory caravans.
“The President’s proposal in the campaign is to refocus on the roots of immigration in the Northern Triangle by investing 4 billion through four years (…) This 4 billion through four years will come from the diversion of funds or to alienate the priorities of the budget of the Administration in favor of the countries of the region “, said in a recent interview to EFE Joan González, Biden campaign advisor.
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He indicated that every dollar invested will be to ensure that gangs are being fought in El Salvador, that corruption is being fought and that economic opportunities are being created for marginalized communities in El Salvador. Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador.
alliance
In this regard, Lisandro Rosales, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Honduras, told Diario LA PRESSA that they receive with great hope Biden’s proposal to increase aid to the region by more than $ 4 billion through the ‘Alliance for Prosperity.
“(We see it) with hope, we are clear that any action aimed at improving the living conditions of our compatriots, to generate an inclusive country, where social inequalities are reduced, is conducive to taking important steps to discourage irregular migration , especially now that we have once again been affected by the Eta and Iota hydrometeorological phenomena, which are causing us economic backwardness, at a time when the country was maintaining appropriate fiscal stability due to continue the development process, ”he said.
He reported that progress has been made in the Alliance for Prosperity Plan, and according to the planning made by the teams of both countries it will be given continuity with the following administration.
He noted that there are currently $ 92 million running in gender-focused programs, for women entrepreneurs, and another $ 400 million in energy generation, tourism, and other sectors that are vital to the country’s development. .
Rosales noted that to date about $ 1 billion was received in loans with facilities through the International Development Financial Corporation (DFC), in alliance with the private sector, to finance vital projects to generate a structure that promotes development in the country and thus creates opportunities that provide economic income to families and change their living conditions.
new ambassador
Regarding the appointment of a new ambassador to the country, the Honduran chancellor is confident that as in 37 other countries where the administration of President Donald Trump could not appoint its heads of mission, the new American administration designates its new representative in Tegucigalpa. However, he acknowledged that “this will depend on the United States Congress, remember that the President makes the proposal and must wait for the decision of the congressmen.”
The United States has not appointed an ambassador to Honduras since June 2017, when then-diplomat James Nealon served in the country. Since then, the U.S. diplomatic mission has been led by Business Officer Heide B.
Fulton and currently Colleen Hoey.
Carlos López Contreras, former chancellor and ex-agent of Honduras before the International Court of Justice in The Hague, he has trusted that the Biden administration will appoint its new head of mission with all the credentials of ambassador; although he clarified that the diplomatic mission has not been adrift, as it has been led by Business Managers who on returning to the US have held other very important positions in the diplomatic service of their country.
Contreras contextualized than the Donald Trump Government failed to crystallize all its diplomatic goals, and the fact that Honduras did not have an extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador is not an isolated case, as there are many countries in which no ambassador was appointed, but they were left in charge of their Business Managers. “The expectation is that with the new Government a relationship will be established at the level of heads of state through a new ambassador selected by the new ruler (Joe Biden),” the experienced Honduran diplomat said.
In another issue, he considered that given President Biden’s experience and background in dealing with the issue of the Northern Triangle, it is very likely that he will give a strong impetus to the Alliance for Prosperity for such as to curb the wave of migration to the US.
He recalled that this migratory issue has been on the American agenda for 50 years, at that time because of the spread of communism, but now because of the presence of drugs, gangs and extortion. of the criminal groups that cause thousands of people to flee their territory. Contreras also considered that multinational cooperation is needed to tackle the problem of drug trafficking in Central America and Mexico.
In this sense, he considered that the American policy for the Northern Triangle (Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador) will undoubtedly aim to stabilize these countries to have greater control and that their courts and prisons work and also the ‘deterrent instrument of extradition’.
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Biden’s ambitious plan for Central America TEGUCIGALPA. President Joe Biden’s plan to strengthen the security and prosperity of the peoples of Central America sets out to develop a comprehensive four-year, $ 4 billion regional strategy to address the drivers of migration from Central America, mobilize private investment in the region, improve security and the rule of law, tackle endemic corruption and prioritize poverty reduction and economic development. “The challenges ahead are enormous. But if there is the political will, there is no reason why Central America cannot become the next great success story in the Western Hemisphere,” Biden said in presenting his project for the region. As president, Biden pledged to renew the U.S. commitment to addressing the root causes driving migration with a four-year, $ 4 billion integrated regional strategy. This strategy states that countries allocate a substantial amount of their own resources and undertake significant, concrete and verifiable reforms; put the fight against corruption at the center of U.S. policy in Central America, direct private sector investment, including through public-private partnerships, to complement government funds, invest primarily in civil society organizations who are at the forefront of dealing with the root causes of migration and renewing efforts to work constructively with Mexico, Canada, and other regional partners in Central and South America, among other things. . |