Colombian Defense Minister Rodrigo Rivera today traveled to the U.S.

r gatesColombian Defense Minister Rodrigo Rivera, today traveled to the U.S. for a five-day official visit that will highlight an interview with his pair of American country, Robert Gates. Rivera left for Miami, which is the starting point of this tour, accompanied by the deputy Yaneth Giha and Rafael Guarin, in the same unit, spokesmen confirmed his office in Bogota. In a statement obtained by the same source, the Colombian minister said the visit’s main objective is to “deepen the relationship on defense and security with the United States of America.” So you can consolidate the security of Colombia to take the country “towards a democratic and prosperous environment help to address transnational threats through the experience of our forces,” said Rivera.

According to the official agenda of the tour, the minister will visit Miami on Monday with a meeting with the head of Southern Command, Gen. Douglas Fraser, and the commander of the Joint Interagency Task Force, Rear Admiral Daniel Lloyd. The same day he moved to the city of Fort Worth (Texas), where he plans to visit the facilities of the Center for National Guard operations in the same state, with the help of the head of this force, Maj. Gen. Jose Mayorga. Rivera will travel on Wednesday to Washington, where he will hold a series of meetings prior to his meeting with Defense Secretary Gates, scheduled for Thursday at the Pentagon. On Wednesday, Rivera will meet with Assistant Secretary for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, the former Ambassador to Colombia William Brownfield.

It shall also meet the Deputy Assistant Secretary for National Defense and Security Affairs of the Americas, Arturo Valenzuela, the secretary of the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, Andrew Shapiro, and Deputy Secretary for the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights Work, Michael Posner.