Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Harris Visits Guatemala, Mexico in First Foreign Trip as US Vice President

VOA News

   The United States is set to announce Monday new measures to fight drug
   smuggling and trafficking as Vice President Kamala Harris meets with
   leaders in Guatemala to discuss migration and security issues.

   A senior administration official told reporters they also hope to
   announceadditionalmeasures to address corruption, but that there are no
   plans to unveiladditionalaid money at this time.

   U.S. President Joe Biden has tasked Harris with leading the effort to
   address the causes behind a rise in migrants traveling to the
   U.S.-Mexico border.

   WATCH: Harris travels to Guatemala and Mexico

   Administration officials highlighted corruption as a major factor both
   in that migration and in private companies avoiding expanding their
   investments in Central America.

   "For us it's a direct correlation between corruption and people
   arriving on our southwest border,"oneofficial said.

   In addition to talks with Guatemalan PresidentAlejandro Giammattei,
   Harris is also meeting Monday with community leaders and entrepreneurs.

   "What she wants to do ishearfrom all of the individuals that she's
   going to meet with, so that she can advance a very comprehensive
   agenda, a strategy that the vice president has elaborated, thattakes
   into accountthe need to grow the Guatemalan economy, to deal with the
   climate crisis and the food insecurity that has resulted, to work to
   combat poverty, violence and corruption," said Nancy McEldowney,
   national security adviser to the vice president.

     I'm here in Guatemala City for my first international trip as Vice
     President.I look forward to meeting with President [1]@DrGiammattei
     and community leaders. [2]pic.twitter.com/HHCWRt2zBi
     -- Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) [3]June 7, 2021

   Harris continues similar discussions Tuesday in Mexico City
   withPresidentAndrés Manuel López Obrador, entrepreneurs and
   laborfigures.

   Ahead of hertrip,Harrisemphasized the need for increased employment
   opportunities and better living conditions. She announced $310 million
   in U.S. aid to support refugees and deal with food shortages. She also
   recently won commitments from U.S. companies and organizations to
   invest in Central American countries to promote economic opportunity
   and job training.'¯

   The U.S. also last week said it would send a combined 1.5 million doses
   of coronavirus vaccines to Guatemala and Mexico.'¯

   Harris's diplomatic outreach has touched off political mockery at
   homefrom opposition Republicansbecause she has yet to visit
   the'¯U.S.-Mexico'¯border'¯even though she said she would at some
   point.'¯

   At a news conference, some Republicans displayed a milkcartonshowing
   Harris with the headline: "MISSING AT THE BORDER."'¯

   Inrecent years, theUnited Stateshas sent billions of dollars
   inassistanceto Central American countries in hopes of curbing the
   motivation for residents there to migrate north to the'¯United States.
   But so far, the aid has not stemmed the tide of migration as people
   look to escape crime and poverty in search of a better life in the
   U.S.'¯

   Former President Donald Trump adopted get-tough policies at the border
   to turn back migrants. Biden also is turning back migrants butunlike
   Trumphas allowed unaccompanied children to enter the'¯United States.

   The policy shift'¯combined with a'¯predictable'¯rise in spring
   migration and the easing of pandemic restrictions'¯at
   theborder'¯contributed'¯to'¯the arrival of'¯thousands'¯of migrants'¯in
   recent months, increasing pressure on the Biden administration to
   resolve the issue.'¯

   "We have to give people a sense of hope, a sense of hope that help is
   on the way, a sense of hope that if they stay, things will get
   better,"Harris said after Biden named her to lead diplomatic efforts
   in'¯Latin'¯America.'¯

   The Harris trip got off to a tentative start when her
   plane'¯leaving'¯Washington'¯was forced to return after 30 minutes by
   what was described as'¯a"technical issue."She'¯boarded another planeand
   left'¯about an hour'¯and a halflater.

References

   1. https://twitter.com/DrGiammattei?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
   2. https://t.co/HHCWRt2zBi
   3. https://twitter.com/VP/status/1401754616753176576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

.