Finally ... Finally someone admits it.
http://mx.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/eeuu_drogas_diplomacia_guatemala GUATEMALA (AFP) - The United States is "part of the problem" of drug trafficking in Latin America by the demand for drugs, admitted on Friday U.S. diplomat, Hillary Clinton, under an appointment with presidents of Central America in Guatemala.
"We know we are part of the problem," Clinton said at a press conference in which he was accompanied by Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom.
Especially in the latter country the drug tentacles extend to the state: the police chief, among other senior officials, was arrested on charges of links with the mafia and organized crime.
Clinton, whose country is the largest consumer of cocaine in the world, reiterated the U.S. commitment in the fight against this scourge in the region, used as a transit and storage of drugs in the middle of the fight counternarcotics efforts in Colombia and Mexico.
"Security is a major challenge, that is why through the Central Regional Security Initiative and other partnerships in Mexico and the Caribbean, we will fight organized crime, transnational gangs and drug trafficking together keep people safer, "said Clinton.
The head of U.S. diplomacy, which ended in Guatemala for a tour of six Latin American countries, said his government "is ready to support all nations." "But we know what needs (...) so that they can support and do an effective job," he said.
"By admitting that we a consumer, we know we must help countries like Guatemala hard to combat this terrible problem, "he said Clinton.
Meanwhile, Colom said the effort to combat drug trafficking must be set, because he sees" the invasion only Mexican cartels in this country, but the invasion of the entire international drug trafficking. "
" The cartels are moving from one place to another, but the aggression are our societies. I believe that through our relationship with the United States and Mexico and from today with El Salvador and Honduras, we can make a common front against the scourge of drug trafficking, "he said.
Honduras was another item on the agenda of the meeting. President Porfirio Lobo first attended a regional meeting, even though his government has only been recognized by Costa Rica and Panama after the coup that ousted former President Manuel Zelaya in 2009.
Colom said that along with Wolf and the president of El Salvador, Mauricio Funes, agreed to work for reinstatement of Honduras to the Organization of American States, so you can attend in May, the UN General Assembly in Lima.
"On day 15 there will be a meeting in El Salvador of the three presidents to the private sector and today we manage the logistics, while a second meeting was held in Tegucigalpa, "said Colom no date.
Honduras was removed from the international community after the coup of June 28, 2009 and so far only a handful of countries including the United States have recognized the government of Wolf, winner of the November elections.
"I definitely see a major breakthrough in the American labor standards," stressed the president of Guatemala.
addition to the aforementioned presidents also participated in this meeting, leaders of Costa Rica (Oscar Arias) Dominican Republic (Leonel Fernandez), and Prime Minister of Belize Dean Barrow.
Before leaving this country, Clinton was scheduled to meet privately with Funes, who on Monday will visit Washington to meet with President Barack Obama
