U.S. Government Statements and Reports

• U.S. Soldiers Help Colombia Transform its Enlisted Ranks
  Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Michael Wimbish
  U.S. Southern Command Public Affairs
  U.S. Southern Command
  As the Colombian military pressed on with its bloody war against drug-funded, illegally armed groups like the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the nation’s military leaders saw a need to remake a senior enlisted force entrusted with little

• U.S. Air Force F-15s Perform at Colombian Air Show
  Capt. Nathan D. Broshear
  Twelfth Air Force (Air Forces Southern) Public Affairs
  U.S. Southern Command
  RIO NEGRO, or “Black River” in Spanish, is the premier air and trade show in Colombia. During the last weekend of June, the event also served as the stage for the F-15 West Coast Demonstration Team’s spectacular display in front of a Latin American

• U.S. Airmen visit Colombian orphanage during RIO NEGRO air show
  Capt. Nathan D. Broshear
  Twelfth Air Force (Air Forces Southern) Public Affairs
  U.S. Southern Command
  ALDEAS SOS, an international non-profit organization devoted to caring for orphaned and abandoned children, welcomed the group of more than 25 Airmen for a lunchtime visit inside the 13 dedicated casitas (or ‘little homes’ in English).

• U.S. Airman Reunites with Family at Colombian Air Show
  Capt. Nathan D. Broshear
  Twelfth Air Force (Air Forces Southern) Public Affairs
  U.S. Southern Command
  Air Forces Southern air shows in Central, South America and the Caribbean are always opportunities for Airmen to connect with local communities and showcase American aviation technology. But for one Airman, the opportunity to be a part of the F-15 West C

• USS Kaufman Visits Peru
  Ensign B. C. Caldwell
  U.S. Southern Command
  Guided-missile frigate USS Kauffman (FFG 59) conducted a Theater Security Cooperation (TSC) visit in Callao, Peru June 20-24 in support of Partnership of the Americas 2008 (POA 08).

• UNITAS Pacific Exercise Concludes off Coast of Peru
  Lt. Rebecca Rebarich
  U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command Public Affairs
  U.S. Southern Command
  The maritime exercise UNITAS Pacific 2008 concluded off the coast of Peru July 1 after navies from seven countries participated in anti-submarine warfare exercises against live submarine targets, anti-aircraft warfare events, gunnery exercises, and mariti

• Beyond the Horizon Humanitarian Exercise Begins in Suriname
  Sgt. Theanne Tangen
  129th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
  U.S. Southern Command
  Officials met at the Ministry of Defense June 27 to sign a memorandum of understanding regarding the Beyond the Horizon exercise in Paramaribo, Suriname.

• USNS Grasp Begins Maritime Engagement Mission to Latin America, Caribbean
  Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Alan Gragg
  U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command Public Affairs
  U.S. Southern Command
  Global Fleet Station’s mission to maintain strong multi-lateral partnerships supports the U.S. Maritime Strategy’s goals of enhancing regional stability and security by promoting multi-national working relationships.

• Merida Initiative Will Help Battle Drug Trafficking
  Merle D. Kellerhals Jr.
  U.S. Department Of State
  Recognizing that illegal drug trafficking is not just a Mexican and Central American problem but also a problem for the United States, Congress and President Bush have launched a multiyear partnership to provide equipment and training to support law enfor

• Guantanamo Detainee Charged for Role in USS Cole Attack
  Donna Miles
  American Forces Press Service
  U.S. Southern Command
  A Saudi Arabian national being held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, has been charged with planning and preparing for the attack on the USS Cole that killed 17 U.S. sailors and wounded 47 others, the Defense Department announced today.

• New Commander Takes Reins of Honduras-based JTF-Bravo
  Tech. Sgt. John Asselin
  Joint Task Force-Bravo Public Affairs
  U.S. Southern Command
  Army Col. Richard Juergens took command of Joint Task Force-Bravo from Army Col. Marcus De Oliveira during a ceremony here June 27.

• "The Merida Initiative Represents a New Era of Cooperation..."
  U.S. Embassy Mexico
  In the face of this violence, we must renew and reinforce our efforts, which is why the Merida Initiative is so important

• Force Recon Marines conduct jungle training in the Amazon
  Maj. Winston Jimenez
  U.S. Southern Command
  U.S. Marines participated in a rigorous 10-day combined jungle training package with Peruvian and Colombian Marines in Inquitos -- a city with a population of more than 400,000 accessible only via air or boat.

• USS Boxer Concludes Latin-American Humanitarian Mission
  Navy Lt. Jennifer Cragg
  Special To American Forces Press Service
  U.S. Southern Command
  USS Boxer returned to port yesterday after a two-month humanitarian and civic assistance mission to Latin America.

• Daily Press Briefing
  U.S. Department Of State
  Colombia’s Call for Referendum is Internal Matter for Colombians Facts Surrounding Colombia and Venezuela Make them Different Cases

• Conferencia De Prensa Que Ofrecieron Los Secretarios De Gobernacion Y Relaciones Exteriores, Juan Camilo Mourino Terrazo Y Patricia Espinosa Cantellano
  Secretaria De Gobernacion De Mexico
  Los terminos en que fueron aprobados los recursos para la Iniciativa Merida son respetuosos de la soberania y de la jurisdiccion de ambos paises

• Honduran fire inspectors, investigators visit Joint Task Force-Bravo
  Tech. Sgt. William Farrow
  Joint Task Force-Bravo Public Affairs
  U.S. Southern Command
  For the first time, Joint Task Force-Bravo fire department personnel are providing a subject matter expert exchange for fire inspectors and investigators which may lead to a uniform system of fire prevention in Honduras.

• Pan-American UNITAS Naval Force Renovates Peruvian School
  Lt. J. G. Thomas A. Berenato
  USS Forrest Sherman Public Affairs Officer
  U.S. Southern Command
  Two dozen Sailors from guided-missile Destroyer USS Forrest Sherman (DDG-98), guided-missile Destroyer USS Farragut (DDG 99) and guided-missile Frigate USS Kauffman (FFG 59) joined members of the Chilean, Colombian, Ecuadorian and Peruvian navies to refur

• U.S. Coast Guard, Navy Train Alongside South American Sailors
  Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Omar A. Dominquez
  U.S. Southern Command
  The Coast Guard International Training Division conducted a seminar to exchange knowledge with Navies from Ecuador, Chile and Peru on hand-to-hand combat and Vehicle Boarding Search and Seizure during UNITAS Pacific Phase 49-08.

• U.S. Troops Begin Medical Mission in Peru
  Tech. Sgt. Kerry Jackson
  Task Force New Horizons Public Affairs
  U.S. Southern Command
  Continuing in their effort to provide relief to underprivileged Peruvians, U.S. service members here Monday kicked off the medical mission of New Horizons - Peru 2008, a U.S. and Peruvian humanitarian initiative scheduled through Aug. 31.

• EU Lifts Restrictive Measures on Cuba
  Thomas A. Shannon, Jr., Assistant Secretary For Western Hemi
  U.S. Department Of State
  I did an interview on Friday that appeared in El Pais on Sunday that noted that obviously from our point of view we are not rushing to embrace a government that we consider to be still trapped in a dictatorship, but we recognize and understand the interes

• UNITAS Pacific Exercise Begins in Peru
  Mass Communication Specialist, Seaman Omar A. Dominquez
  Fleet Public Affairs Center, Pacific
  U.S. Southern Command
  UNITAS 49-08, an annual multinational exercise conducted to enhance interoperability and mutual cooperation between navies, began off the coast of Callao, Peru on June 21.

• U.S, Peruvian Navy Complete in ASW Exercise
  Lt. Jacob Steele
  CDS 40 Public Affairs
  U.S. Southern Command
  The exercise, Silent Forces Exercise 2008 (SIFOREX) consisted of 4 days of intense, structured ASW practice, followed by an 18-hour “scenario phase,” an unscripted event in which units simulated a real-world ASW situation.

• U.S. Ambassador Peter Cianchette visited a bridge that crosses the Guabos River in Quepos
  U.S. Embassy Costa Rica
  The bridge will replace the one where two school teachers and two children tragically lost their lives a few weeks ago while trying to cross the bridge.

• United States, European Union Share Similar Policies for Cuba
  Merle D. Kellerhals Jr.
  U.S. State Deparment
  State Department spokesman Sean McCormack says the United States and the European Union want Cuba to embrace freedom, democracy and universal human rights -- unconditionally.

• Daily Press Briefing- Cuba
  Sean McCormick
  U.S. State Department
  The U.S. and the European Union share common objectives in Cuba: freedom, democracy, and universal human rights.

• Wilford Hall team treats ENT patients in Honduras
  Tech. Sgt. John Asselin
  Joint Task Force-Bravo Public Affairs
  U.S. Southern Command
  A 14-person medical team from Wilford Hall Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, completed a two-week medical readiness training mission in Honduras June 19 after performing numerous ear, nose and throat procedures.

• Interview With the Wall Street Journal Editorial Board
  Secretary Of State Condoleezza Rice
  U.S. Department Of State
  SECRETARY RICE: The Bolivian regime is the problem. (Laughter.) Look, I think we’ve managed to work it out for the time being

• Daily Press Briefing- Cuba
  Tom Casey
  U.S. Department Of State
  I think our policy on this is well known. And of course, we would like to see a real transition occur in Cuba

• Ask the Ambassador
  U.S. Department Of State
  U.S. Ambassador to Honduras Charles A. Ford will discuss: "Opportunities and Challenges of Creating a Society of Hope in Honduras"

• Continuing Promise Seabees Complete Peru School Renovations
  Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Matthew Jackson
  USS Boxer (LHD 4) Public Affairs
  U.S. Southern Command
  For nearly a week, the Seabees worked at the school repairing broken water lines, replacing leaky faucets and bathroom fixtures in addition to restoring running water to the facility.

• Daily Press Briefing- Colombia
  Tom Casey
  U.S. Department Of State
  There is a report today from the UN that says that Colombia has increased the amount of coca crops.

• Negroponte: va Iniciativa Merida sin imposiciones
  J. Jaime Hernandez
  El Universal (Mexico)
  El subsecretario del Departamento de Estado, John Negroponte, se mostro ayer confiado en que, al final, el proyecto de ley definitivo pasara “en terminos aceptables para los dos paises”.

• Nicaragua hosts multinational peacekeeping exercise, "PKO North"
  Sgt. 1st Class Dave S. Thompson
  U.S. Southern Command
  Roger Astin, the exercise scenario manager of U.S. Army South, explains that the goal of the exercise is to apply techniques and lessons learned to the execution of a multinational peacekeeping operation with emphasis on preparing and training for common

• Continuing Promise Completes Work in Peru, Boxer Heads Home
  Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joshua Jarvis
  USS Boxer (LHD 4) Public Affairs
  U.S. Southern Command
  During the 6-day operation in Peru, Boxer’s embarked military units worked side-by-side with partner-nation military and civilian professionals to provide medical, dental, optometry and veterinary care along with renovation work at two schools.

• Continuing Promise Completes Medical Operations in Peru
  Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Matthew Jackson
  USS Boxer (LHD 4) Public Affairs
  U.S. Southern Command
  During one week of operations at the school in Peru, they cared for more than 800 medical patients, 125 dental patients, 200 optometry patients and distributed more than 2,500 medical prescriptions each day.

• Leader of Colombian Terrorist Organization AUC Pleads Guilty
  Erin Mulvey
  U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency
  MURILLO-BEJARANO held the title of Inspector General of the AUC, but was the de facto leader of the organization

• Gates: North America Needs Security to Reach Full Potential
  John J. Kruzel
  American Forces Press Services
  U,S. Department Of Defense
  The United States, Canada and Mexico must establish security to realize their full potential, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today.

• Continuing Promise Delivers Project Handclasp Donations to Peru
  Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Matthew Jackson
  USS Boxer (LHD 4) Public Affairs
  U.S. Southern Command
  Continuing Promise (CP) 2008 mission leaders, embarked aboard USS Boxer (LHD 4), delivered several pallets of donated goods to Peruvian officials on behalf of Project Handclasp, in support of the Humanitarian Civic Assistance (HCA) mission, June 11.

• Continuing Promise Reinforces Peru's Preventative Medicine Program
  Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) James F. Bartel
  USS Boxer (LHD 4) Public Affairs
  U.S. Southern Command
  Continuing Promise (CP) 2008’s Preventative Medicine Team held a public health and sanitation seminar for partner-nation citizens from Juara, Peru, June 12, in support of USS Boxer’s (LHD 4) humanitarian civic assistance (HCA) mission.

• Continuing Promise Seabees Camp On-Site to Get the Job Done
  Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joshua Jarvis
  USS Boxer (LHD 4) Public Affairs
  U.S. Southern Command
  Seabees from Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit (CBMU) 303 and Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 5, both embarked aboard USS Boxer (LHD 4), camped out at Guillermo Enrique Billinghurst school in Barranca, Peru, during renovations June 10-13