Bolivia and US agree $20 million to combat drug trafficking and organised crime
Ministers Justiniano and Aramayo are carrying out official business in Washington D.C. to strengthen bilateral cooperation on security and anti-drug efforts.
Bolivian ministers negotiate $20 million security agreement in Washington
The Defence Minister, Ernesto Justiniano, and the Minister of the Presidency, Fernando Aramayo, are in Washington D.C. carrying out official business with US authorities, according to reduno.com.bo. The mission is part of the process of restoring bilateral relations between Bolivia and the United States.
The agenda includes working meetings focused on security, defence and institutional matters, with particular emphasis on joint actions against drug trafficking and transnational organised crime. As part of this rapprochement, a security cooperation agreement was established which provides for assistance of 20 million dollars to strengthen Bolivian capabilities against criminal structures.
A process that began in May
The institutional rapprochement began to take shape in May, when Justiniano, then vice minister for Social Defence, held meetings with authorities from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and with the director of the Special Force to Combat Drug Trafficking (FELCN), Frans William Cabrera. These meetings addressed key issues such as information sharing, investigations into illicit financing, drug trafficking routes, criminal logistics, chemical precursors and protection networks.
In June, Justiniano met in La Paz with the US Chargé d'Affaires, Erik Martini. A month later, in July, a delegation from the State Department headed by Todd Weiland arrived in Bolivia to address security matters with national authorities. The process reached a new milestone in August, with a meeting that included Justiniano, Aramayo, the Minister of Government, Marco Antonio Oviedo, and Martini.
Military equipment as concrete sign
As part of this cooperation, the United States recently delivered 12,500 rations and 1,000 protective shields for the Bolivian Armed Forces.
The Defence Ministry indicated that the mission to Washington responds to the policy of President Rodrigo Paz to deepen relations with the United States through an agenda centred on cooperation, security and mutual benefit. The visit of the two ministers seeks to convert the agreements reached into greater operational capacities to face threats such as drug trafficking and transnational organised crime.
Source: Google News BO — Crime