Peru's Ambassador to the United States, Alvaro Vargas Llosa, emphasized on Friday that bilateral cooperation with the North American country is a key tool for effectively combating international criminal networks and transnational organized crime that undermine domestic security.
"Sovereignty is not threatened by U.S. assistance; it is threatened by international mafias that are putting it at risk. The most powerful country on Earth can help us fight them," he said in an interview with RPP.
Vargas Llosa recalled that military cooperation between the two countries is not new, as it dates back decades and is now being adapted to a new security context.
The Peruvian representative clarified that any joint action or training strictly requires legal authorization from the Legislative and Executive Branches, operating within a framework of full respect for institutional norms.
In this regard, he noted that the Shield of the Americas is emerging as a strategic framework for bilateral security cooperation between Peru and the United States to combat transnational criminal networks and organized crime.
The envoy noted that the initiative seeks to provide Peru with the technology, information, and support needed to overcome its infrastructure limitations in addressing global threats.
He also noted that beyond security and the fight against transnational crime, bilateral relations with the North American country offer tremendous growth potential in areas such as trade, through increased investment and direct support from the U.S. Government for private companies.
Finally, Vargas Llosa stated that he accepted the post of Peru's Ambassador to the United States in response to President Keiko Fujimori's call for national reconciliation.
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