U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in Argentina where he is expected to rally support from Latin American leaders in the U.S. fight against Middle East militant groups, VOA news reports.
The top U.S. diplomat will deliver remarks Friday at the second Western Hemisphere Counterterrorism Ministerial meeting in Buenos Aires, where the challenges of terrorism in the hemisphere will be addressed.
On Monday, Argentina’s Security Ministry officially designated the Lebanon-based Hezbollah militant group, which is supported by Iran, as a terrorist organization. The designation gives the U.S. another ally in its effort to develop a global coalition to contain Iran’s influence in the Middle East and beyond.
Pompeo’s visit to Argentina coincides with the 25th anniversary of the bombing of a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires that killed 85 people. The Argentine government has said Hezbollah was responsible for the attack.
The secretary of state left Thursday to meet face-to-face with Latin American leaders amid difficult negotiations with Mexico and Central American countries over how to best stem the flow of migrants to the southern U.S. border.
Migration root causes
Pompeo’s three-day visit will also take him to Quito, Mexico City, and San Salvador. He will seek to expand cooperation on security issues, reinforce U.S. commitment to human rights and democracy, and expand economic opportunities for citizens, State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said during a Washington press briefing on Tuesday.
Migration will also be addressed when Pompeo meets with Latin American leaders. Some experts say the United States must address the root causes or “push factors” that are compelling people to flee their homes.
“You have to look at the lack of opportunity, the gang activity, the weak institutions in this region, in Central America if you are ever going to stop people from making what is a difficult and dangerous journey to the United States,” Benjamin Gedan of the Wilson Center said. “These people don’t leave taking the decision lightly.”
He said there is broad consensus among most U.S. lawmakers that President Donald Trump should not have cut U.S. foreign aid to Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador while at the same time asking them to reduce the flow of migrants.
Other experts reject criticism of Trump for cutting aid to the so-called Northern Triangle countries.
“How worse can things get?” asked James Carafano of the Heritage Foundation. “People are flooding north. It is obvious that money is not achieving anything.”
“If we’re going to give them money,” he added, “I think we have to come up with programs that are actually going to have impact.”
The ongoing crisis in Venezuela, where millions have fled to neighboring countries, is likely to be an important topic for Pompeo at every stop on his journey. The U.S. and more than 50 other countries support opposition leader Juan Guaido as the country’s leader.
Guaido contends President Nicolas Maduro’s re-election last year was invalid and wants early presidential elections. Maduro accuses the opposition of fomenting violence.
Pompeo will also stop in Guayaquil, Ecuador, and San Salvador, El Salvador, to deepen the U.S. relationship with those countries, according to the State Department.