Washington Watch - 15 April 2010
Brazil: On 12 April US and Brazilian defence chiefs, Robert Gates and his counterpart Nelson Jobim signed a military cooperation agreement designed to bolster security ties. The accord promotes collaboration in military research and development, training, joint exercises, and commercial projects. "The agreement is a formal acknowledgement of the many security interests and values we share as the two most populous democracies in the Americas," Gates told a news conference with his Brazilian counterpart. US and Brazilian leaders disagree, however, over the best diplomatic strategy towards Iran. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva warns against piling pressure on Tehran through fresh sanctions. Although Gates spoke of cooperation between the countries' defence industries, the deal comes amid expectations US aviation giant Boeing will lose out on a major contract to supply fighter jets to Brazil. Gates also praised Brazil's contribution to the UN peacekeeping mission in Haiti, saying it "ably took the lead in the UN forces' relief and recovery efforts" after the January 12 earthquake.
Mexico: On 12 April the US announced that it was shutting its consulate in Nuevo Laredo, “until further notice". It then reopened it on 13 April. The consulate had been attacked with a grenade on 9 April, which the local police erroneously identified as a bomb. The US has also warned its citizens to avoid the states of Durango, Coahuila and Cihualpa. The families of US employees of the consulates in Tijuana, Nogales, Ciudad Juarez, Nuevo Laredo, Monterrey and Matamoros have also been sent home to the US.
Peru: On 14 April the US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates arrived in Peru to meet President Alan García, his Peruvian counterpart, Rafael Reyes and José Antonio Garcia Belaunde, minister for foreign affairs. During an in-bound flight briefing Gates stated that "Peru has been a constructive influence in South America in terms of countering the propaganda of Venezuela." In relation to Peru's regional role, Gates said that the US does not see Venezuela as a military challenge, and played down the threat that Iran might pose in the region through its ties with Venezuela and Bolivia. Because the meetings will be largely security based, the issues of Sendero Luminoso (SL)'s resurgence and the need for greater regional integration on security are on the agenda. Gates praised those countries that have adopted security policies which are in line with the foreign policy of the US, "We rely a lot and are ready to facilitate greater regional cooperation that occurs between different countries, Peru and Colombia, and _ Mexico as well." He added that there was still room for greater cooperation highlighting the similarities, and therefore useful areas of coordination, for Peru and Colombia to undertake. “They face the same problems with terrorists, drug trafficking and crime. Find out how we can help them in their own efforts and in cooperation with others is an important opportunity."
Region: On 9 April the Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Arturo Valenzuela, expressed concerns over the “aggressive rhetoric" and “excessive militarism" in the region. These comments came as the US was about to host the landmark Nuclear Security Summit, which took place this week (12-13 April). Valenzuela's comments are in response to the recent increase in military arsenal seen across many countries in Latin America including Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador, Chile and Bolivia. In a speech given in Colombia on 7 April Valenzuela was clear that what the US wants is not to encroach on sovereignty, "Any sovereign country has the right to seek improvements to their armaments and modernizing them. This is obvious and it respects sovereignty."