- For security issues, it's not enough to announce general goals. There must be a joint action plan that, until now, did not exist: Secretary Ebrard
- The Bicentennial Framework represents a new relationship between equals. We will continue advancing in a coordinated manner to create spaces for peace: Secretary Rosa Icela Rodríguez
Senior government officials from Mexico and the United States met at the Foreign Ministry today to discuss and announce the Action Plan for the Bicentennial Framework for the next three years. As part of the commemoration of two hundred years of diplomatic relations between Mexico and the United States, the governments of both countries have joined in a new approach to addressing our security challenges. There are three goals, 11 cooperation areas, 26 joint objectives and 102 cooperative actions that have been drafted and approved jointly.
During the October 2021 High-Level Security Dialogue (HLSD) launch, Mexico and the United States opened a new chapter in cooperation guided by the principles of shared responsibility and respect for national sovereignty. The governments of both countries are committed to transforming our approach to protecting the health and safety of our citizens by taking specific actions to protect our people, prevent cross-border crimes and pursue criminal networks.
The Action Plan presented today is driven by a mutual interest in security and in stopping and bringing to justice the criminal groups that illegally traffic arms and drugs in the region, threatening the health and safety of our citizens. During today's hybrid meeting, both governments presented the progress made in advancing this new security framework, and discussed the goals and cooperation areas structured as joint binational objectives that will be operationalized via the agreed cooperative actions.
Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard commended the commitment of both countries, saying that "For our citizens, [this plan] will lead to results very soon; that is the task of both teams." Secretary Rosa Icela Rodríguez said, “The security of Mexico and the United States is a binational issue that must always be guided by the principles of respect for the sovereignty and laws of each country. This is a new relationship between equals, in which we will continue advancing in a coordinated manner to create spaces for peace and to dismantle transnational organized crime in the region.”
“Both sides have adapted ideas from the Binational Committee for the project to ensure that the resources designated for strategic priorities help reduce drug use and contribute to investigating crimes such as homicide, kidnapping, the trafficking of arms and drugs, migrant smuggling, cybercrime and money laundering,” she added.
In Washington, D.C., the Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights, Uzra Zeya, said, "These joint actions are a strong foundation that will enable us to expand our cooperation and protect our citizens, combat cross-border crime and pursue criminal organizations. Ambassador Ken Salazar said, “We do this together as partners that respect each other's sovereignty. We are partners who will work in good faith with no surprises. The doors of collaboration have been opened by President López Obrador and President Biden.”
For the Mexican government, the meeting was headed by Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard; Security Secretary Rosa Icela Rodríguez; Defense Secretary General Luis Cresencio Sandoval; and Navy Secretary Admiral José Rafael Ojeda. Also present were Esteban Moctezuma, Mexico's ambassador to the United States (virtual); General Luis Rodríguez Bucio, National Guard Commander; Félix Arturo Medina, fiscal prosecutor, Finance Ministry; Ricardo Mejía, Undersecretary of Public Security; Roberto Velasco, Chief Officer for North America, Foreign Ministry; General Audomaro Martínez, Director General of the National Intelligence Center; Miguel Ángel Méndez, head of the Legal and International Affairs Office, Attorney General's Office; Gady Zabicky, National Commissioner against Addictions; Alejandro Svarch, head of Cofepris; Juan de Dios Vázquez, head of the International Customs Affairs Office, National Customs Agency; Francisco Javier Campuzano, Interinstitutional Liaison, Security Ministry; Patricia Cruz, Director General of Analysis, Financial Intelligence Unit; and Armando López, Advisor to the Commissioner of the National Institute of Migration.
The U.S. delegation was headed by the ambassador to Mexico, Ken Salazar, who attended in person, and by the following individuals, virtually: Uzra Zeya; Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights; Juan Gonzalez, Senior Director for the Western Hemisphere, National Security Council; Bruce Swartz, Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Department of Justice; Marcela Escobari, Assistant Administrator, USAID Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean; Serena Hoy, Assistant Secretary for International Affairs, Department of Homeland Security; and Todd Robinson, Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, State Department.
Participating in person with Ambassador Salazar were: Stephanie Syptak-Ramnath, deputy chief of mission at the U.S. embassy in Mexico; Christina Vejar, Department of Justice attaché; Patricia Aguilera, Acting Director, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, State Department; Bruce Abrams, USAID mission director in Mexico; Brian Keating, Treasury Department attaché; Matthew Allen, Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Attaché; Ángel Catalan, FBI attaché; Diana Rivera, HSI attaché; Tim Sloan, ATF Attaché; and Brian Naranjo, Political Attaché at the US Embassy in Mexico.
