Guyana supports “strong action” on dismantling drug trafficking networks

President Dr Irfaan Ali said Guyana supports the strong action being taken by the United States of America against drug cartels in the western hemisphere.

Speaking during a Fox News interview on the sidelines of the Shield of the Americas Summit hosted by President Donald Trump, Dr Ali reminded that Caribbean and Latin American countries have long raised concerns about drug cartels.

According to him, these criminal operations frequently exploit the region’s Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) and border areas, exposing countries to transnational criminal networks.

“It’s an issue that has exposed the region, has given the region a bad name in terms of drugs. So, we support the strong action on drug cartel,” he reiterated before he said, “We have supported the charter to deal with transnational crime, especially the narco-terrorism and these cartels.”

He said the current approach involves more direct action to protect national borders, reducing criminal activity, and improving the region’s international reputation.

Guyana was among 13 countries from the Latin America and the Caribbean region that attended the inaugural “Shield of the Americas” summit in South Florida, United States.

There, Trump signed the declaration to create the Americas Counter-Cartel Coalition committed to fighting drug trafficking.

See full proclamation below as published by the White House:

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

The United States, under my leadership, has demonstrated a sustained commitment towards achieving the dismantlement of cartels and foreign terrorists operating in the Western Hemisphere.  My Administration has designated a number of cartels and transnational gangs as foreign terrorist organizations and has since dedicated unprecedented resources towards their destruction.  These international entities control territories and commerce, extort political and judicial systems, wield arms and field military capabilities, and use assassinations and terrorism to achieve their ends.  In furtherance of our efforts, the Secretary of War established the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition, a pledge from military leaders and representatives from 17 countries demonstrating that the region is ready to operationalize hard power to defeat these threats to our security and civilization.  We will address these grave dangers by use of any necessary resources and legally available authorities, together with our partner nations.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim as follows:

(1)  Criminal cartels and foreign terrorist organizations in the Western Hemisphere should be demolished to the fullest extent possible consistent with applicable law.

(2)  The United States and its allies should coordinate to deprive these organizations of any control of territory and access to financing or resources necessary to conduct their campaigns of violence.

(3)  The United States will train and mobilize partner nation militaries to achieve the most effective fighting force necessary to dismantle cartels and their ability to export violence and pursue influence through organized intimidation.

(4)  The United States and its allies should keep external threats at bay, including malign foreign influences from outside the Western Hemisphere.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this seventh day of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-six, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fiftieth.

DONALD J. TRUMP