WOLA: Advocacy for Human Rights in the Americas
12 Jun 2017 | Media Advisory

Press Call on Upcoming High-Level Central America Conference in Miami: Tomorrow, June 13 at 12:00 p.m. EST

Washington, DC—From June 15-16, high-level government officials from the United States, Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala will meet in Miami, Florida to discuss issues of prosperity, security, and the future of U.S. engagement in the region. The conference, co-hosted by the U.S. and Mexican governments, will include a keynote address by Vice President Mike Pence and will be attended by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson; Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly; the presidents of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras; and other top regional officials and leaders in the private sector.

In anticipation of this event, WOLA (the Washington Office on Latin America), a leading research and advocacy organization on the Americas, is holding a press conference call with our experts to discuss the Miami Conference, its implications for future U.S. engagement in Central America, and its potential impact on citizen security, governance, and migration issues in the region.

The “Conference on Prosperity and Security in Central America” comes at a time when the Trump administration’s recently proposed 39 percent cuts in foreign assistance to Central America has raised serious concerns about the impact on the economic, security, and migration challenges facing El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala. At the same time, the administration has been toughening its rhetoric about immigrants arriving at the border and pressing governments in the region, particularly Mexico, to increase enforcement.

WHEN: Tuesday, June 13, 2017 at 12:00 p.m. EST via conference call.

WHO:

  • Senior Associate for Citizen Security Adriana Beltrán, a leading expert in citizen security in Central America, the root causes of migration from the region, and U.S. assistance.
  • Senior Associate for Mexico and Migrant Rights Maureen Meyer, a leading expert on Mexico, migration, and the rights of migrants in transit.
  • Program Director Geoff Thale, who follows hemispheric trends and U.S. policy toward the region, with a particular focus on human rights, citizen security, and economic opportunity in Central America.

To join in, please dial 800-901-5382 if you are in the United States. For international callers, please see this list of toll-free numbers, or use 785-424-1238 if your country is not listed. Please reference the Conference ID “WOLA” to join the call.

The discussion will be held in English and will be followed by a Q&A session.

Please RSVP to WOLA Communications Officer Loren Riesenfeld at press@wola.org or at +1 (202) 797-2171.