On July 19 and 20, vice-ministers of defense and similar defense officials from all over the hemisphere traveled to Santa Cruz, Bolivia, for a Preparatory Meeting of the IX Conference of Defense Ministers of the Americas (CDMA). In November, all of the hemisphere’s ministers of defense – likely including U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates – will attend the CDMA in Santa Cruz. Participants in the Preparatory Meeting meet to define and agree on the conference’s agenda and to prepare the summit’s final declaration. Minutes from the meeting are available at the...
This month, three new U.S. ambassadors to Latin American countries were confirmed. On August 5th, the U.S. Senate voted to confirm Rose Likins to be Ambassador to Peru and Peter Michael McKinley to be Ambassador to Colombia. On August 19th, President Obama announced four recess appointments to key administrations posts, including Maria del Carmen...
While there continues to be conflict-related violence throughout Colombia, much of the recent violence seems to be concentrated in the country's urban centers, most notably in Bogotá and Medellín. In both of these urban centers murder rates and gun violence attributed to emerging criminal groups, the apparent successors to the disbanded AUC paramilitary structure, have continued to surge.
According to a report released Thursday, August 18th by the Bogotá mayor's...
Yesterday, six non-governmental organizations sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton asking her to ensure that, with the beginning of Juan Manuel Santos' presidency in Colombia, U.S. policy focuses strongly on the human rights issues facing the nation. "It is a moment to increase – rather than ease – pressure on the Colombian government to make substantial improvements in the protection and promotion of human rights," write the six Latin America and human rights organizations. The...
This Monday marked the beginning of the annual Fuerzas Aliadas PANAMAX 2010 training exercise. Co-sponsored by the U.S. Southern Command and the Panamanian government, the 12-day exercise brings together land, air and sea forces from 18 nations in a joint, combined operation focused on ensuring the defense of the Panama Canal. This year, the...