LIVE: Keiko Fujimori and Marco Rubio give a statement after meeting at the Government Palace

President Keiko Fujimori meets this morning with the U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, who is concluding his tour in Peru that took him to Colombia and Ecuador.

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See the joint statement here:

After the meeting, which takes place at the Government Palace, the president specified that one of the topics discussed was the fight against transnational organized crime and in that context confirmed that Peru is joining the Shield of the Americas.

Another point discussed – she said – is actions regarding the El Niño Phenomenon. Education, investment, and trade exchange were also discussed.

“We welcome Donald Trump’s political decision to look at Latin America. That Secretary Rubio is here,” she exclaimed.

Rubio, for his part, emphasized that the obligation of every government is the peace, tranquility, and security of its people and pointed out that now the threat is transnational terrorist criminal groups.

“The only way is to confront it. (…) We will help as much as possible,” he stressed after highlighting Peru’s entry into the Shield of the Americas.

It is – he emphasized – a new era in the relations between both countries.

The U.S. Secretary of State entered the Executive headquarters at 10:51 a.m. He was received by the president at the main door.

See here the arrival of the representative of Donald Trump’s Government at the Government Palace:

The meeting between Rubio and Fujimori – according to the Government Palace – “will deepen the strategic alliance between both countries and strengthen cooperation ties on priority issues for our country.”

He also detailed that during the meeting, both authorities will address issues of common interest, with special emphasis on strengthening cooperation related to the El Niño phenomenon, security, the fight against transnational organized crime, defense, promotion of investments, and bilateral trade, among others.

11:55 a.m.

11:00 a.m.

10:50 a.m.

On Wednesday night, after receiving Rubio, Foreign Minister Carlos Espá highlighted the visit and emphasized that there are two priorities for the country: the fight against transnational criminal organizations and the El Niño Phenomenon.

“Secretary Rubio comes to make important announcements (about) U.S. support on these two issues,” he asserted. “We are sure the visit will be very beneficial for all Peruvians,” he said.

At 10 a.m., before moving to the Government Palace, Rubio arrived at the Foreign Ministry headquarters, where he was received by the Minister of Foreign Affairs. They meet privately.

The official plane that transported the representative of Donald Trump’s government from Ecuador landed around 6:30 p.m. this Wednesday at Air Group No. 8, in Callao.

There he was received by Foreign Minister Espá and the U.S. Ambassador to Peru, Bernie Navarro. Rubio did not make any statement and minutes before 7:00 p.m. he boarded the vehicle waiting for him a few meters from the plane.

“The 200 years of relationship will be further strengthened with this visit. We will talk about investment, security, and many things that will strengthen the relationship. It is a historic moment for the relationship (between both countries),” exclaimed Ambassador Navarro.

In an opinion column published in El Comercio, Rubio highlighted that they have “great expectations to work with the new Fujimori government to project our 200 years of shared history into the future.”

He described Peru as “an important extra-NATO ally” and announced that they are “welcoming” our country into the Shield of the Americas (Shield of the Americas).

This is an initiative by President Donald Trump that brings together various countries in the region with the aim of combating criminal organizations.

“We are synchronizing efforts to protect our hemisphere from transnational and regional threats, welcoming Peru – which is now an important extra-NATO ally – into the Shield of the Americas,” Rubio said in his El Comercio column.

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