US, Peru affirm closer security ties as Peru joins Shield of the Americas

The US and Peru on Thursday welcomed Peru's decision to join the Shield of the Americas security initiative to combat drug cartels across the region as a top US diplomat paid a visit to the country.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said at a news conference with Peruvian President Keiko Fujimori in Lima that Washington and Lima are entering a new phase in ties.

"I truly believe that we are entering a new era in US-Peru relations, a golden era in many ways, because her administration has the right ideas," said Rubio. "In her first 40 days in office, we've already done many things together, and there's so much more for us to do together."

Rubio said the criminal and terror threats facing the region primarily harm ordinary citizens who lack the means to defend themselves.

Rubio welcomed Peru's entry into the Shield of the Americas, describing it as a defense mechanism against organized crime networks that in some cases outmatch state resources.

"Very pleased to hear the announcement that Peru will be joining the Shield of the Americas," he said. "What is it a shield against? It is a shield against these threats to the sovereignty of these independent nations. It is a shield against these transnational criminal groups that, in many cases, have more money and better military equipment than the state. That is unacceptable, and the only way to defeat it is to confront it forcefully."

He linked the initiative to Fujimori's political mandate, adding that she "told the people of this country she would confront this threat, and she would defeat it, and we will help her."

Fujimori reaffirmed Peru's sovereignty.

"From Peru, we will exercise all the powers granted to us by law and the Constitution," said Fujimori. "Being part of this Shield of the Americas will allow us to obtain information more quickly and act more firmly," she said.

Peru joined the initiative Tuesday as part of efforts to strengthen regional cooperation against organized crime and other security threats.

Fujimori highlighted the renewed cooperation with Washington, noting US support in Peru's fight against drug trafficking during the 1990s.

That cooperation, she noted, helped Peru reduce coca leaf cultivation from 120,000 hectares to 20,000 hectares by 2000.

She also pointed to the recent capture in Bolivia of a member of the Los Pulpos criminal gang as an example of the intelligence cooperation already taking place between the two countries.

Peruvian authorities received information from the FBI and worked with US authorities on the capture, according to Fujimori.

Security was the first issue addressed during her meeting with Rubio, with Fujimori emphasizing the need to confront crime and improve public security.

The president also thanked Washington for its support in preparing for a possible emergency linked to the El Nino weather phenomenon.

The USNS Comfort hospital ship is expected to arrive off Peru's northern coast in February, she added.

She described the meeting as a symbol of the relationship between the two countries, which she said have shared a commitment to freedom, independence and sovereignty for two centuries.