Seven Latin American countries create Latin American Committee for Homeland Security 

High-level representatives from seven Latin American countries have signed a political declaration in Brussels that marks the beginning of the creation of CLASI, the Latin American Committee on Internal Security promoted by the European program EL PAcCTO, led by the FIIAPP together with Expertise France. This initiative will make it possible to articulate common public policies in Latin America. Through this organization, Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Panama and the Dominican Republic are committed to coordinating their actions to address the region’s security problems.

CLASI is a forum for political and technical dialogue between those responsible for security policies in Latin American countries. Its objective is to bring together these officials to define strategies and articulate public policies against transnational organized crime. EL PAcCTO will accompany the process of creating CLASI in the elaboration of work plans and the definition of priorities, strategies and policies.

The Director for Latin America and the Caribbean of the European Commission’s Directorate General for International Partnerships, Jolita Butkeviciene, emphasized that the signing of this document is “an important milestone for Latin American countries, but also for the European Union, because we are strengthening our role as a strategic ally in the areas of justice and peace”.

Through CLASI, the countries involved aim to “offer Latin America an effective partnership that strengthens the rule of law and the fight against transnational organized crime in all its dimensions, and is based on shared values through common political priorities,” he said.

Also present at the signing was the Director for the Americas of the European Union’s External Action Service, who stated that “the signing of the declaration is a reflection of Latin America’s desire to engage with Europe to achieve greater security for all. We know that security challenges are global and the only way to tackle them is to achieve regional and international cooperation”.

Likewise, the Minister of Security of Argentina, which will be the country that will assume the first rotating presidency of CLASI, assured that “the reality is that we need both Europe and the rest of America because we have similar problems. We can help each other. With this signature, the seven Latin American countries commit themselves to “promote a close articulation of our actions, national strategies and public policies in the fight against transnational organized crime, as well as to encourage the involvement of other Latin American states”.