WEBVTT

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- Ladies and gentlemen,

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it is once again my pleasure to welcome you

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to the 48th Annual Washington Conference on the Americas,

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to the Council of the Americas

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and to the US Department of State.

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Always Charles Shapiro is the one

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who comes up with it.

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And judging from the Twitter and social media traffic

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that we've already seen,

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this has already been a popular program

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and we anticipate that the afternoon

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will be equally successful.

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And we trust all of you

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will be contributing to that as well.

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Let's get the afternoon sessions

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trending here in Washington.

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But to begin our afternoon agenda

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we're deeply honored to have

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Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan as our speaker.

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Here to introduce him is once again

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our cohost Acting Assistant Secretary

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for the Western Hemisphere Francisco Paco Palmieri.

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(audience clapping)

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- So it's my honor,

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excuse me,

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it's my honor today

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to introduce our next speaker,

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Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan.

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When we speak about our ambitious engagement

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in the western hemisphere,

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Deputy Secretary Sullivan

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has been at the forefront.

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During his tenure,

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he has engaged robustly and effectively advanced

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US interests in the region.

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Most recently he accompanied,

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excuse me,

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Vice President Pence to the

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Eighth Summit of the Americas in Peru.

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Advancing our top priorities,

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to promote democracy in Venezuela,

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to put in place strong measures

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to stop corruption and to promote economic opportunities

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across the hemisphere.

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In Lima, he met with Caribbean leaders

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and underscored US commitment to enhance engagement

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with that region under the Department's

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Caribbean 2020 Strategy.

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He also met with US industry and private sector leaders

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highlighting our regional economic priorities

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and support for women's empowerment.

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In June 2017, Deputy Secretary Sullivan

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also led the US delegation

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to the OAS General Assembly in Cancun, Mexico

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underscoring our commitment to

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and recognizing the important work of

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the Organization of American States.

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At every turn,

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Deputy Secretary Sullivan,

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whether in private meetings

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or public forum has challenged regional leaders

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and the OAS.

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He has challenged them and us

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not just to speak out against

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Venezuela President Maduro's behavior

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and to stand up for democratic governance

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and respect for human rights.

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But also for the region

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to find real world practical solutions.

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Solutions that can bring peace, security

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and social harmony to all Venezuelans.

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In short, on democracy, on economic growth

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and on core US interests in the region,

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we have no finer champion.

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Please join me in welcoming

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Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan.

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(audience clapping)

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- Thank you Paco for that kind introduction.

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Thank you Eric as well.

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Good afternoon everyone.

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I'm delighted to be here

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and to welcome you to the State Department

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for the 48th Washington Conference on the Americas.

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I want to start by thanking the Council of the Americas,

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Susan, thank you,

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for their great work

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in pulling together this conference

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as well as their many efforts to

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advocate for fair trade

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and promote fundamental freedoms

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in the western hemisphere.

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The United States is proud to participate

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in this year of robust engagement

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in the Americas.

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With the successful Summit of the Americas

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hosted by Peru last month,

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the upcoming OAS General Assembly in Washington,

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the 44th G7 Summit in Canada

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and the G20 meeting in Buenos Aires later this month.

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Our engagement in the Americas, of course,

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is not a recent phenomenon.

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Since the birth of our republic,

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the United States has had

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strong relationships in the western hemisphere.

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Bonds built on geography,

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shared values and robust economic ties.

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We strive to coexist peacefully

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and to do so in a mutually beneficial way.

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Security is the most important area

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in which we must cooperate

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as it underpins the prosperity

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and good governance we seek to create and to maintain.

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Transnational criminal organizations

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including the violence they perpetuate

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and the illegal drugs they traffic

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are among the most dangerous security threats

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to the United States and our partners.

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We will continue to rely on our strong relationships

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to battle these transnational criminal organizations

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working together with our partners

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to disrupt illicit networks

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and those trafficking routes

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that lead into the United States.

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Of course in doing so,

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we must acknowledge our role

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in the United States as a major market

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for illicit drug consumption.

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And the need for cooperation

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to combat these challenges.

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And we're taking steps to address this,

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the problematic demand side of the equation.

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In 2016, 64 thousand Americans died of overdose.

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When people descend the slippery slope

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of consuming illegal drugs,

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they are not just gambling away their own futures

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and potentially destroying their lives

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and the lives of those around them.

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The destructive cycle of drug addiction

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fuels the violence and criminality

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that destroys entire communities

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in source and in transit countries.

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In turn, this violence perpetuates

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the crisis we see on our borders

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with illegal immigration.

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That cycle needs to stop.

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President Trump is committed

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to putting an end to the cycle

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and has challenged us

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to be the generation

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to put an end to the drug epidemic.

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The President declared our opioid crisis

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a public health emergency

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and has subsequently launched

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an initiative to stop opioids abuse.

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In doing so, we're working with our international partners

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to take on this challenge.

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One of our strongest partnerships

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is with Mexico.

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And that bond will remain strong.

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In December we convened with Mexico

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our second meeting of the cabinet level

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strategic dialogue on disrupting

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transnational criminal organizations.

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We discussed joint strategic efforts

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to disrupt these groups

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by attacking their business model.

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Prioritizing efforts against drug production

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and preventing cross border movements of drugs,

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cash and weapons.

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We must deny these criminal networks

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access to our markets

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and dry up their sources of illicit revenue.

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Through the Merida Initiative,

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we work with Mexico to support their efforts

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to improve security, strengthen the rule of law

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and promote greater respect for human rights.

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Our coordination with Mexico

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is complemented by the US Strategy for Central America.

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A comprehensive plan to address security,

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governance and economic development challenges

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faced throughout the region.

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The US Strategy for Central America

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also reinforces the plan of the Alliance for Prosperity,

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the reform initiative of El Salvador, Guatemala

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and Honduras.

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As Paco mentioned,

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our Caribbean 2020 Strategy

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is increasing private sector investment in the Caribbean,

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promoting Caribbean energy security

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and building resilience to natural disasters.

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The Caribbean Basin Security Initiative

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seeks to enhance maritime interdictions,

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build institutions, counter corruption

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and foster cooperation to protect our shared borders

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from the impact of transnational crime.

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Columbia is also a strong partner in the region.

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And we continue to support its efforts

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to implement the peace accord with the FARC

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that ended a 52 year war.

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Unfortunately from 2013 to 2016,

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coca cultivation in Columbia surged 134 percent

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and cocaine production by over 200 percent.

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At the US Columbia high level dialogue

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on March 1st,

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the United States and Columbia

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agreed to expand counter narcotics cooperation

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over the next five years

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to reduce Columbia's estimated cocaine production

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and coca cultivation to 50 percent

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of current levels by 2023.

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While we are proud to work

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and will continue to work closely with Columbia,

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we also urge that government to do more

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to reverse the alarming growth

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in coca cultivation and cocaine production.

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At the regional level,

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we support initiatives in the OAS's

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International Drug Control Commission

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to disrupt the illicit drug supply

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and curb the regional demand for drugs.

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Threats to the hemisphere occur on a number of

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other complex fronts

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requiring coordinated and sophisticated responses.

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Whether building capacity to counter cyber threats,

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supporting de mining in Columbia

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or combating trafficking in persons,

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the United States is committed to being

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the security partner of choice

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for the Americas in the years ahead.

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When we can uphold security,

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we maintain an essential condition for prosperity.

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The numbers indicate just how deep

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our economic relationship in this hemisphere is

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and how important it is.

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The United States is the top trading partner

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for over half of the 34 countries

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in the western hemisphere.

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Annually we trade 1.8 trillion dollars

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in goods and services with the hemisphere,

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supporting millions of jobs

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and leading to an eight billion dollar surplus

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in goods and services in 2017.

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As many of you know,

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that's a statistic that the President

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keeps careful track of.

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Underpinning our economic engagement

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is respect for the rule of law and shared values.

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Corruption both undermines and corrodes

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the confidence our citizens have

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in democratic institutions.

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As Vice President Pence said

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during the Summit of the Americas in Lima,

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corruption "is a vitally important issue

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that bears upon the long term prosperity

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as well as the well being of the people of the hemisphere.

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Corruption emboldens viscious criminals

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and endangers public safety.

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For we know, as corruption grows,

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freedom and prosperity wither".

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The United States will not stand for

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corrupt practices abroad

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that we would find unacceptable here at home.

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For more than 40 years

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we have stood behind strict rules

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that bar Americans and American business

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from bribing any foreign official

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to secure an improper advantage.

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Our laws seek to impose

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strict penalties on those who step across that line.

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Honest business people from every part of the world

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wish to play by the rules.

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They don't want to pay bribes

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or bend the rules.

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I know it is the wish

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of every company represented here today

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to be able to operate in an environment

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where corruption has no place.

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Indeed that's our hope and our ultimate goal.

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It's our nations respect for democratic accountability

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and our commitment to transparency in business

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that make us the better economic partner

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and the international partner of choice

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for the region.

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Unlike China and Russia,

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the United States does not approach our partners

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with a purely transactional mindset.

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Rather, we work to sustain our valuable partnerships

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with mutual respect and shared principles.

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Our core values and determination

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to strengthen the rule of law

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enable businesses to flourish,

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private enterprise to ignite

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and jobs to grow.

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Citizens across the Americas

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have demonstrated increased

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intolerance for corruption.

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And the region's institutions are responding.

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Recent steps taken against corruption in Guatemala and Peru

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as well as the leadership shown

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by Brazilian prosecutors and judges are very impressive.

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Hemispheric leaders have recognized the dangers

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that corruption poses to our democracies

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and economies since the very first Summit of the Americas.

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And that's why we have

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the Inter American Convention Against Corruption.

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The 2018 Summit of the Americas

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was significant because of its singular focus

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on corruption relative to prior summits.

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The leaders declaration,

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the Lima Commitment,

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illustrates our resolve

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to take concrete action to combat corruption.

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The United States will be steadfast

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in pursuing these commitments.

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We will work with other governments in the hemisphere

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to put the promise of Lima into practice.

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Finally, we must keep working together

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to ensure that the people in this hemisphere

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can live according to democratic values.

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Over the last century,

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the Americas have largely transformed

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into a region of vibrant and peaceful democracies.

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Seven Latin American countries

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will hold presidential elections in 2018

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including Brazil, Mexico and Columbia.

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While most of the region enjoys democratic rule,

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a few outliers,

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Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela,

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continue to undermine the regions shared vision

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for effective democratic governance

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as enshrined in the Inter American Democratic Charter.

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The United States remains committed to

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championing freedom and to standing with the people

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of Venezuela and Cuba in their struggle

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to achieve the liberty they deserve.

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In Nicaragua, we condemn the violence

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perpetuated by security forces

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and groups tied to the Ortega government

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against peaceful protestors

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and support a broad, inclusive national dialogue

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that addresses victims demands for justice

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and restores Nicaragua's democratic institutions.

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We look to our partners,

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including governments and civil society organizations

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to join us in speaking up

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whenever and wherever the hemisphere's

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shared democratic principles come under attack.

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Right now, democracy has been eviscerated

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by a dictator in Venezuela.

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The United States supports a return

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to Venezuela's democratic constitutional order.

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Our goal is a peaceful, democratic transition

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led by the Venezuelan people.

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We support the Venezuelan people

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in their sovereign right to elect representatives

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through free, fair and transparent elections.

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We join the democratic nations of the world

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in standing by the Venezuelan people

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as they seek the stable and prosperous democracy

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they deserve.

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Western hemisphere leaders

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use the Summit of the Americas

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to address the most pressing democratic challenges

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facing our hemisphere.

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Chief among them, the crisis in Venezuela.

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The United States was pleased to join

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15 partners in issuing a declaration on Venezuela

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at the summit.

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In which we called on the Venezuelan government

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to hold a free, fair and transparent democratic process,

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free its political prisoners and allow the participation

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of all political actors.

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And we affirm that the planned elections for May 20

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fail to meet such conditions

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and as such cannot be considered legitimate.

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Finally,

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we expressed our collective support

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for Venezuela's national assembly,

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committed to working with the OAS

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to promote actions that restore democratic institutions

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and voiced our concern for the growing number of Venezuelans

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forced to leave their country due to this crisis.

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The declaration issued in Lima

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urges the United Nations and the OAS

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to implement a humanitarian assistance program

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to address the shortage of basic necessities in Venezuela

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and the manifest suffering of the Venezuelan people.

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The declaration emphasized the importance

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of the international community's support

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for the economic recovery of Venezuela

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once democracy and the constitutional order

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have been restored.

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The Maduro regime's brutal and corrupt rule

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has caused approximately five thousand Venezuelans

17:27.090 --> 17:30.343
to flee the land of their birth every day.

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Earlier, you heard Ambassador Haley say

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that approximately 1.5 Venezuelans

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have fled to other countries

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in Latin American and the Caribbean

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since 2014.

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And another outflow of 1.7 million people

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is projected in 2018.

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These refugees are now in Columbia,

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Brazil, Chile and nearly every other country

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in our region.

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President Trump has made it abundantly clear.

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The United States will not stand by idlely

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as Venezuela crumbles and its people suffer.

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Today, I'm pleased to announce

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an additional 18.5 million dollars

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in bilateral assistance

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for the government of Columbia's efforts

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to address the influx of Venezuelan refugees

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seeking safety.

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Pending Congressional approval

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this USAID funding,

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and I'm happy to have our USAID administrator here with us,

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Ambassador Mark Green,

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will support mobile health units

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to attend to the needs of the impacted population,

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a school feeding program

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and a registry system to better access

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of all venees.

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This funding is in addition to the

18:40.600 --> 18:42.340
more than 21 million dollars

18:42.580 --> 18:44.500
in US humanitarian assistance

18:44.730 --> 18:47.440
already announced to support the regional response

18:47.660 --> 18:49.260
to the Venezuela crisis

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including 16 million dollars in aid

18:51.770 --> 18:54.363
announced at the Summit of the Americas in March.

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The suffering of the Venezuelan people

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is extraordinary.

18:58.720 --> 19:00.540
A heartbreaking survey found that

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in the previous three months,

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over 60 percent of Venezuelans said they

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woke up hungry because they

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did not have enough money to buy food.

19:09.610 --> 19:12.400
The average Venezuelan lost 24 pounds

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of body weight in 2017.

19:15.440 --> 19:17.220
And now the regime is shamelessly

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using sustenance as a tool for social control,

19:20.440 --> 19:22.653
political coercion and votes.

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Its well past time for Nicholas Maduro

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to open Venezuela to international aid.

19:29.000 --> 19:31.680
Meanwhile, the United States will continue to use

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all diplomatic and economic tools

19:34.540 --> 19:37.010
to support the Venezuelan people's effort

19:37.390 --> 19:40.593
to restore democracy and return to prosperity.

19:41.640 --> 19:44.200
Yesterday, the administration declared that

19:44.200 --> 19:45.730
the upcoming vote in Venezuela

19:45.730 --> 19:46.890
should be suspended

19:46.900 --> 19:50.890
until Maduro holds a free, fair, transparent election

19:51.090 --> 19:52.740
that gives Venezuelan people

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the democratic choices they deserve.

19:56.780 --> 19:57.613
Excuse me.

19:58.170 --> 20:00.170
We've imposed strict financial sanctions

20:00.210 --> 20:01.790
on more than 50 current or former

20:01.790 --> 20:03.593
senior Venezuelan officials.

20:06.560 --> 20:10.273
We also sanctioned the so called Petro crypto currency,

20:10.610 --> 20:13.823
protecting unwitting investors from Maduro's latest fraud.

20:14.540 --> 20:16.540
We will not allow the Maduro regime

20:16.800 --> 20:18.460
to use our financial system

20:18.800 --> 20:20.353
to enjoy corrupt gains.

20:21.430 --> 20:22.570
We have sanctions in place

20:22.570 --> 20:24.120
to pressure those in the regime

20:24.210 --> 20:25.420
who are most responsible

20:25.420 --> 20:27.483
for the gross abuses we have witnessed.

20:27.520 --> 20:30.763
And yesterday we added three more names to the list.

20:31.420 --> 20:32.433
Vice President Pence announced

20:32.433 --> 20:34.330
that the United States has designated

20:34.330 --> 20:36.600
three Venezuelans with direct ties

20:36.600 --> 20:40.283
to the Maduro regime as narcotic kingpins.

20:41.100 --> 20:42.390
We have frozen their assets

20:42.390 --> 20:44.140
and blocked their access to our nation

20:44.140 --> 20:46.100
so they can no longer poison our people

20:46.100 --> 20:47.543
with their deadly drugs.

20:48.740 --> 20:50.560
Today, I also want to repeat

20:50.560 --> 20:52.280
what Vice President Pence urged

20:54.073 --> 20:56.923
all of the OAS nations yesterday.

20:58.140 --> 21:01.140
Every nation must cut off Venezuela's corrupt leaders

21:01.270 --> 21:03.820
from laundering money through our financial system.

21:04.860 --> 21:06.340
Every nation must enact

21:06.340 --> 21:09.170
visa restrictions to prevent Venezuela's leaders

21:09.200 --> 21:10.943
from entering our countries.

21:11.220 --> 21:13.990
And finally, every nation must vote

21:13.990 --> 21:16.780
at the next General Assembly of the OAS in June

21:17.060 --> 21:20.423
to suspend Venezuela from that august institution.

21:21.180 --> 21:23.090
These actions will support and defend

21:23.090 --> 21:25.013
our shear democratic principles.

21:25.350 --> 21:27.933
And as Ambassador Haley stressed earlier today,

21:28.150 --> 21:29.710
staying true to our principles

21:29.710 --> 21:31.660
will ensure that the western hemisphere

21:31.840 --> 21:33.773
remains the hemisphere of freedom.

21:34.640 --> 21:35.860
The governments of our region

21:35.860 --> 21:37.530
must continue working together

21:37.790 --> 21:39.220
to help the Venezuelan people

21:39.220 --> 21:40.523
reclaim their freedom,

21:40.770 --> 21:42.290
restore their democracy

21:42.590 --> 21:43.973
and build a new future.

21:44.680 --> 21:45.920
We will continue to look

21:45.920 --> 21:47.730
to the declarations and commitments

21:47.730 --> 21:49.600
made at the Summit of the Americas

21:49.780 --> 21:51.410
to guide our engagement

21:51.440 --> 21:52.453
in the hemisphere.

21:53.060 --> 21:55.340
With your help and your partnership

21:55.340 --> 21:57.900
we will continue to work to create a hemisphere

21:57.900 --> 21:59.523
that is ever more secure,

21:59.730 --> 22:01.823
prosperous and democratic.

22:02.690 --> 22:05.420
So thank you again for having me here today

22:05.420 --> 22:08.270
to talk about some of our priorities for the hemisphere.

22:08.270 --> 22:10.060
And please accept my best wishes

22:10.060 --> 22:13.443
for continued success in this conference.

22:13.464 --> 22:14.297
Thank you.

22:14.403 --> 22:17.403
(audience clapping)