Washington Watch - 13 May 2010
Argentina: On 10 May, the Argentine media published the contents of a letter sent by US President Barack Obama to his Argentine counterpart, Cristina Fernández. The missive was delivered by the US ambassador to Argentina, Vilma Martínez, to Argentina's foreign minister, Jorge Taiana, on 7 May, four days after the former president - and Fernández's husband- Néstor Kirchner (2003-2007) was sworn in as first secretary general of the Union of South American Nations (Unasur). This may be interpreted as an indication of the US's recognition of the Kirchners' regional importance as a “power couple" able to liaise between Washington and other countries in the region, namely Venezuela, with whom the Argentines have strong ties and Washington has little rapport. The letter thanked President Fernández for attending the Nuclear Security Summit hosted by Obama in Washington DC on 12-13 April. Obama hailed Argentina's “decision to join the Global Initiative to Fight Nuclear Terrorism and to cooperate with the United Sates' Megaports Program", adding that to this end “your regional leadership is invaluable". The US leader asked Fernández “to approach your neighbours, in particular_those we could not invite to the Summit, to request them to participate in this vision achieved at the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington." Obama also thanked Argentina for “its kind offer" to host “the next sherpas meeting" for the next summit in May 2011.
Colombia: On 11 May, Foreign Minister Jaime Bermúdez announced that, as of the third quarter of 2010, the US Peace Corps (USPC) would return to Colombia. The USPC will return after an absence of 29 years. The announcement indicates a high level of trust on the part of US authorities with regard to the ability of Colombian security forces to assure the safety of the volunteers. The USPC was absent from Colombia during the worst periods of guerrilla and paramilitary violence. According to Bermúdez the first group of 20 volunteers will arrive before the year-end to assist in agricultural training programmes, HIV prevention and counselling services, and to teach English as a second language.
Colombia/Panama: On 12 May in Washington DC at the 40th Conference of the Council of the Americas, the US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, said that the US government led by President Barack Obama remained committed to the Free Trade Agreements with Colombia and Panama, but admitted that the “political winds" in the US are not blowing their favour. The US congress has refused to ratify the agreements. Clinton said the FTAs would benefit US workers and called on the private sector for more support to get the deals approved. The assistant secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs at the state department, Arturo Valenzuela, also commented that “there is absolutely no doubt that we should focus on trade, as its critical in a globalized world". Both officials also called for greater cooperation between the US and its regional partners on security, anti-drugs and anti-poverty initiatives.
Guatemala: The US migration authorities deported 8,061 illegal Guatemalan immigrants during the first four months of 2010, 11.8% less than in the same period the previous year. Between 1.5m and 1.7m Guatemalans are currently living in the US, of which an estimated 60% are illegal. A total of 27,222 illegal Guatemalans were deported in 2009, less than the 28,051 registered the previous year.
Mexico: On 10 May, the Mexican daily Reforma reported that the main faction of the Sinaloa gang had access to secret US and Mexican information until at least 29 May 2009. The news is another blow for the public security minister (SSP), Genaro García Luna, who is at odds with both the defence minister, General Guillermo Galván Galván, and the interior minister, Fernando Gómez Mont. Reforma reported that on 29 May 2009 the army recovered secret SSP and US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) documents after stopping a Hummer in Culiacán, the capital of Sinaloa. According to Reforma, the army said that the documents found were on a “highly restricted" circulation list and gave details of army, navy and Procuraduría General de la República operations against drug gangs. The information also contained details about what the Mexican authorities knew about the links between fishing vessels, which pick up drug consignments off the Pacific coast, and drug traffickers. The article concluded that the Sinaloa gang's counter-intelligence was so good that until May 2009 it could anticipate the government's moves against it.