Peru joins 'Shield of the Americas' during Rubio's visit to Lima despite protests
Peru has announced it will join US President Donald Trump's "Shield of the Americas" initiative following talks between President Keiko Fujimori and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Lima on Thursday.
"I am pleased to inform our country that Peru will be part of the Shield of the Americas," Fujimori said, adding that participation would allow Peru to obtain information more quickly and respond more effectively to security threats.
The initiative seeks to coordinate regional efforts against criminal organisations and transnational threats. Fujimori said the growing reach of criminal groups required countries to work together across borders.
"This criminality does not respect borders, and hence the need to join efforts with other countries," she said.
Rubio said Washington viewed the expansion of criminal organisations as a threat to security across the hemisphere and pledged US support for participating countries.
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"We are going to help you in every way possible ... because it is also in our national interest not to have criminal gangs operating with impunity across the hemisphere," Rubio said.
He described the Shield of the Americas as an alliance aimed at confronting criminal and terrorist groups, some of which he said had acquired resources and capabilities exceeding those of national armed forces. Rubio said 14 countries were currently participating and expected the initiative to expand.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
