Honduras is a valued and proven partner for the United States

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, Jan. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- "Honduras is a valued and proven partner for the United States," said the Active Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Chad Wolf, on his recent visit to Honduras.

Wolf, who also recognized the efforts of President Juan Orlando Hernández in the fight against drug trafficking, visited the Central American country to discuss regional security and migration.

After a working meeting with the president in the Presidential House, Wolf said that DHS is "especially fortunate to enjoy such a strong and productive bilateral relationship with you (President Hernández)."

The US official also praised the Honduran president for "his efforts to improve public safety and to bring more foreign investment to Honduras."

Wolf assured that the US will continue to invest in and support the economic growth in Honduras "as you continue to work more to secure your borders, dismantle gangs and cartels, and implement our asylum agreement."  

Acting Secretary Wolf also thanked the Honduras government for the strong public condemnation of Iran's recent actions. 

In 2019, Honduras and the USA signed the Asylum Cooperation Agreement, the Border Security Arrangements, the Biometric Data Sharing Program, and the Temporary Agricultural and Non-agricultural Workers Program agreement. "I want to highlight an extraordinary work together. Four agreements are progressing in an important way and I believe that yesterday and today's meetings have been very productive," President Hernández said.

In specific, the Border Security Arrangement will allow DHS to deploy personnel to support "the capacity-building efforts of the Honduran migration, border security and customs counterparts. "Based on the results of similar border security agreements in the region, I'm confident that this program will be a resounding success," said Acting DHS Secretary Wolf.

The US official also reassured that both countries are working towards implementation of the Biometrics Data Sharing Program Agreement to enhance information sharing.  "This agreement will connect Honduran law enforcement authorities to a broader regional network, with the purpose of combatting crime, human smuggling, trafficking, and other public security threats.  If transnational criminal organizations are wise, they'll take their business out of Honduras—or otherwise face the full force of the law," Wolf concluded.

From his end, President Hernández thanked Acting Secretary Wolf for the support the U.S. has given us in the fight against drug trafficking, human trafficking and transnational crime. Strategic allies such as the US have made it possible to achieve our goals and objectives.

"My commitment has been clear since we were presiding over Congress and we passed the extradition law, we purged the police, we managed to pass many laws to strengthen the legal framework for the fight against organized crime and the results are tangible," President Hernandez stated.

SOURCE Gobierno de la República de Honduras

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