Peru will seek to join the Shield of the Americas to combat organized crime: announcements from Foreign Minister Carlos Espá

The new Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carlos Espá, confirmed this Friday that the government of Keiko Fujimori will promote Peru’s entry into the Shield of the Americas, an initiative promoted by the United States to strengthen regional cooperation against transnational organized crime.

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“The Peruvian foreign ministry will strengthen its coordinating role to enhance cooperation with neighboring countries and our main partners, allies, and friends to combat crime. We will continue the progress made with the Santiago Regional Commitment and, as our president has stated, our incorporation into the Shield of the Americas,” said the minister in his presentation speech at the Torre Tagle Palace.

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Espá emphasized that strengthening the contribution of foreign policy to the direct fight against citizen insecurity and corruption is one of the main immediate objectives of his administration.

“Transnational criminal organizations operate through international networks that cannot be confronted solely within our borders. The first line of defense is built only through cooperation among neighbors, better coordinated borders, and development opportunities for their populations,” he stated.

The second immediate objective of his administration is to contribute to Peru’s preparation to face the arrival of the “El Niño” phenomenon.

“Natural disasters are not only an internal and reactive challenge; they require prevention and efficient management of international cooperation,” he indicated.

In this regard, he highlighted that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will promote the identification and early mobilization of available aid from friendly countries such as Japan, the United States, international organizations, and countries with specialized capabilities.

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The member of the Cabinet led by Luis Galarreta explained that these objectives are part of a broader work vision. “Peruvian foreign policy must address the urgencies of the present without losing sight of the permanent interests of the Republic: the defense of national sovereignty, respect for international law, hemispheric integration, economic openness, diversification of partners, protection of our compatriots, and capacity building for national development,” he stressed.

Espá asserted that the Government of Keiko Fujimori will take advantage of presidential trips, binational cabinets, and other dialogue and coordination spaces to strengthen cooperation with other countries, aiming for this to translate into concrete results for citizens, especially in areas such as security, trade, and development.

In that sense, he stated that he will work to strengthen relations with Colombia and Mexico. Likewise, he affirmed that Peru will reinforce its ties with the United States and China.

“We will deepen our excellent relations with the U.S., our strategic partner, ally, and friend with whom we share fundamental values and common challenges […] At the same time, we foresee the dynamism of our ties with the People’s Republic of China, our main trading partner and an important source of investments,” he said.

Additionally, he highlighted the importance of APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum) as an important platform with Asian countries and will seek to expand ties with countries like India, as well as nations from the Middle East and Africa, giving new dynamism to relations with Europe.

At another moment, the minister highlighted the upcoming arrival of Pope Leo XIV to the country and stated that the foreign ministry will assume a coordinating role between the State and the Church to ensure the “success of this historic visit.”

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“His holiness’s bond with Peru and the worldwide attention his presence will attract offer a great opportunity, an exceptional occasion, to strengthen Peru’s image, spread our culture, and demonstrate the coordination capacity of our institutions,” he expressed.

Espá reiterated his gratitude to the Head of State for the trust placed in him. He also thanked Carlos Pareja for having led an orderly transition and highlighted his work at the head of the foreign ministry.

Watch here the presentation of Carlos Espá as minister:

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Later, in statements to the press, he responded that, in the case of former Prime Minister Betssy Chávez, they will act under the principles of International Law, the Caracas Convention of 1954.

“We are very clear about the obligations of states. We are sure that when the time comes to make that decision, we will do so according to that convention and the principles of International Law,” he stated.

The former Minister of Foreign Affairs Carlos Pareja made an assessment of his administration at the beginning of the presentation ceremony of his successor, Carlos Espá. Among other topics, he highlighted the role of the foreign ministry during the second electoral round, the signing of the Santiago Regional Commitment, the reestablishment of consular relations with Venezuela, and the visit of former president José María Balcázar to the Vatican.

“I am sure I am leaving the Foreign Ministry in good hands and I wish Carlos Espá the greatest success. We have known each other for many years and I am sure that everyone will appreciate, as I do, his broad culture, intelligence, experience, and clarity of objectives,” Pareja said in his farewell speech.

Meanwhile, the Donald Trump administration proposed a broad cooperation agenda with Peru following the visit of the U.S. delegation led by Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, who participated in the inauguration ceremony of President Keiko Fujimori on July 28.

“The strong ties between the United States and Peru are based on a lasting friendship spanning 200 years of diplomatic relations. The Trump Administration looks forward to working with President Fujimori to strengthen the security and prosperity of the United States, Peru, and our hemisphere,” it highlighted in a fact sheet.

One of the main pillars of the agenda is the fight against transnational organized crime and drug trafficking. In this context, the United States announced it will increase cooperation with Peru, especially on the northern border, strengthen information exchange to combat criminal organizations such as the Aragua Train, and send a Department of Justice team to reinforce bilateral coordination.

Additionally, it will support strengthening border security through expanded biometric data collection in prisons and border areas, donate two explosive trace detection teams to Jorge Chávez International Airport, and back the strengthening of specialized units of the Peruvian National Police to combat organized crime as well as illegal mining.

The agenda also includes actions to promote trade and investment, space cooperation, and strengthening disaster preparedness and response.

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