Kamala Harris, on her first foreign trip as vice president, is looking to deepen diplomatic ties with Guatemala and Mexico, two Latin American nations key to the Biden administration’s efforts to stem the spike in migration at the U.S. border.
Harris, who is set to depart Washington later Sunday, is seeking to secure commitments for greater cooperation on border security and economic investment, but corruption in the region — a far more intractable challenge — will complicate her efforts.
It’s already had a significant impact on her work in the region. Harris has yet to engage substantively with the leaders of Honduras and El Salvador, who are both embroiled in corruption scandals. And it’s an issue that experts in the region say will need to be addressed to make any lasting changes.
“Corruption is a cancer in the region,” said Jason Marczak, director of the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center. “Addressing corruption is fundamental to creating hope and creating the potential for opportunity.”
Marczak noted that corruption in the region affects human rights protections, employment opportunities, the cost of goods and much more. Jobs, he said, will come “with investment, and investment comes where there is certainty in the rule of law.” Without that, efforts to improve living conditions can only go so far.
In the months since she was tasked by President Joe Biden with addressing the root causes of migration to the U.S.-Mexico border, Harris has laid out an approach centered on creating better opportunities and living conditions in the region through humanitarian and economic aid.
Harris announced plans to send $310 million to provide support for refugees and address food shortages, and recently secured commitments from a dozen companies and organizations to invest in the Northern Triangle countries to promote economic opportunity and job training.
She only went there to Party Drink & Laugh !!!!!
Better fix the corruption here before she tries to fix it somewhere else
Don’t see any type of accountability for the use of money or any type of consequences for allowing their citizens to illegally migrate to US. Such consequences should be reduction of $5000 per individual and $10000 per every family and $15000 for every unoccupied minor.
Need to get serious with US tax dollars that is being borrowed from China.
First of all, that laughing hyena wouldn’t have a clue about being Vice President. This skank is on a joy ride. As many veterans we have suffering in America, she (?) is already talking about throwing 310 million to foreigners just for a welcoming gift, while smoking the peace pipe.
So why doesn’t she start doing that here??
To make Dirty Deals & pay off the Corrupt govts !!!!!!
Refuse to let her back into the country!