Gobierno de Reconciliación y Unidad Nacional
Unida Nicaragua Triunfa
INTERVENTION BY AMBASSADOR LUIS ALVARADO ON THE BATTLE AGAINST INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZED CRIME
IN THE AGE OF COVID-19, AT THE OAS COMMITTEE ON HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS
MADE ON MAY 21, 2020
Thank you very much Mr. President.
The Government of Nicaragua greets the distinguished panelists invited to this session, thanking them and taking note of their presentations.
The Government of Reconciliation and National Unity of Nicaragua (GRUN), is characterized for being a promoter and protector of the human rights of all Nicaraguans and their right to live in peace and with citizen security, which is why it continues effectively fighting drug trafficking and transnational organized crime.
Nicaragua advocates for the strengthening of international peace and security and the promotion of cooperation and solidarity between States, with full respect for the defense of their sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The conclusions of the 2019 World Drug Report underscores the need to expand international cooperation in order to promote a balanced and integrated responses in health and criminal justice to the supply and demand of drugs, an issue on which Nicaragua maintains that there are shared but different responsibilities between States, since Central America is a transit region of the lucrative business maintained by the countries that are drug producers, generators of the supply and the countries that are the great drug markets.
Maintaining this inhumane business has caused, according to the UN Report, that around the world about 35 million people suffer from drug use disorders and need treatment, and that the number of victims of this cruel business exceeds 585,000 persons who have lost their lives, before the COVID-19 pandemic had even made its appearance.
The situation of privatization of health in many countries of the world means that prevention and treatment continue to be insufficient to meet the needs that exist in many parts of the world.
At the International Conference in Support of the Central American Strategy for Security, held in Guatemala City on June 22, 2011, in which the Heads of State and Government of the member countries of SICA, Ministers, Heads of Delegation, Cooperating Countries, among others, considered that transnational organized crime constitutes a serious and growing threat to Central American Peoples and Governments, a situation that manifests itself in different forms of violence that represent a high human, social, political and economic cost to our Societies.
On that occasion, SICA Member States assumed the responsibility of updating and prioritizing the Central American Strategy for Security and Plan of Action with Costs, reaching national and regional consensus to ensure its implementation, so even within the midst of the international economic and financial crisis, their security budgets continue to increase in order to face the problem of transnational organized crime, significantly affecting their social investment programs.
On that occasion, it was agreed that there was an urgent need for Friendly Countries and International Organizations to provide the necessary political support, the necessary financial and other resources, to demonstrate their commitment to the vulnerable situation facing the region and whose consequences transcend our borders, which is why it is necessary to have their support, in order to promote the development of said Strategy, the Plan Action with Costs and the Portfolio of Projects, as well as its commitment to concretize and where appropriate, increase cooperation on matters of security.
We recall that on June 21, 2011, then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, announced that the United States would allocate US$300 million to promote security in Central America, however, they suddenly abandoned that effort and discontinued their support for the Central American Security Strategy, avoiding their responsibility, as the United States is one of the major drug consuming countries in this continent, which generates a high demand for this product.
The entire Central American Region is a victim of the large market established in the United States, which causes more drug to be produced in the South and to circulate through our countries on its way to the United States, leaving in its wake enormous damages and losses of human lives, social and institutional decomposition and the diversion of important resources to face this scourge.
It has become evident to the international community that the United States has not taken the necessary provisions or made the corresponding efforts to prevent the entry, circulation and distribution of drugs in North American cities, which denotes the high degree of corruption that exists among its authorities.
The Agreements contained in the Central American Strategy for Security are still pending, so it is necessary to continue receiving support towards their effective fulfillment. We acknowledge the contributions and support to this Strategy by the European Union, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy and Canada.
As contemplated in the Central American Security Declaration, this fight requires the concurrence of all local, national, regional and international actors, including governments, parliaments, the judiciary, the private sector and Central American society; as well as the political support and accompaniment of Friendly Countries and International Organizations.
The Government of Nicaragua ratifies the commitment it has with the Central American Region to continue fighting in the fight against transnational organized crime.
Thank you very much Mr. President.