|
Harris's meeting, which was first reported by Reuters last week,
is designed to underscore U.S. support for the new reform-minded
president, whose inauguration was delayed in January by
opponents seeking to weaken his authority.
Immigration has become a hot button issue in President Joe
Biden's and Harris's 2024 re-election campaign, with Republicans
charging the administration with mishandling spikes in numbers
of new immigrants crossing the U.S. border. The White House
accuses Republicans, led by Republican presidential candidate
Donald Trump, with torpedoing a bipartisan bill that would have
tightened border enforcement.
Republicans labeled Harris a failed "border czar" after Biden
charged her with spearheading efforts to address the causes of
migration from countries in Central America that have
contributed to the increase in immigrant inflows.
Harris and Arevalo plan to discuss how the United States can
support the new president to fight corruption, strengthen human
rights, boost the economy, fight "gender-based violence," and
improve security, a White House official said.
They also would discuss Arevalo's outreach to indigenous people
and the prioritization of efforts to reduce what the official
called "irregular migration" to the United States.
"The United States supports the agenda of President Arevalo and
this visit is an opportunity help him implement it and to
demonstrate our full-throated support for his work, which will
help give people hope and economic opportunity in Guatemala, and
therefore help reduce irregular migration to the United States,"
the official said before the meeting.
"Arevalo's election and inauguration has brought a sense of
optimism to the people of Guatemala and to our Administration."
The official said having a government in place in Guatemala that
is committed to rooting out corruption would help reduce
migration.
Harris also will announce new financial commitments from
companies that are part of a public-private partnership program
to invest in Central America, the White House said.
The new commitments total more than $1 billion and total more
than $5.2 billion since May 2021, it said. They include a
commitment by Meta to train young people and small business
owners in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras.
(Reporting by Jeff Mason; Editing by Alistair Bell)
[© 2024 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2022 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may
not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
|
|
