|
View as a webpage / Share
October 23 - October 29
Today, Secretary Rubio is traveling to Atlanta to host the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, returning the G20 to its core mission of driving economic growth and delivering results for Americans.
Here’s what happened at State this week. ⤵️
- The United States continued to work toward a peaceful, democratic transition and free elections in Venezuela.
- The U.S. and Pacific nations countered transnational crime.
- Secretary Rubio signed new agreements with Finland and Hungary to secure supply chains and energy.
The United States continues to focus on ensuring free and fair elections in Venezuela. Speaking to reporters on October 26, Secretary Rubio praised the progress Venezuela has made on economic, political, and judicial reforms as it works toward elections.
“This is a results-based process. And so far, frankly, on everything we’ve asked for in this process, be it the economic reforms, the political reforms, it’s happening,” Secretary Rubio said.
A senior State Department official set out the details of the judicial reforms and why they are necessary.
In Venezuela, the official explained, the courts are the most powerful institution, and the Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ) has long been an instrument of the regime. The opposition and the governing party have now agreed to a committee that will nominate 32 new magistrates, with the goal of seating a new TSJ by mid-December.
The goal is for Venezuela to “have a functioning republic with a system of laws where there’s an opposition but there’s also a majority party,” Secretary Rubio said.
The United States hosted the inaugural U.S.-Pacific Islands Conference of Police Ministers in Los Angeles on October 21-22, bringing together partners from across the Pacific, Latin America, Australia, New Zealand, and France to counter the transnational criminal networks that traffic drugs through the region.
“When the Pacific Islands are secure, the American homeland is safer,” the Department said.
In a fact sheet, the State Department described the trans-Pacific drug trade as a single, organized enterprise: Precursor chemicals move to labs in Latin America and Southeast Asia, finished drugs cross the Pacific by courier, mail, aircraft, and semi-submersible vessel, and money laundering washes the proceeds.
At the conference, the United States announced new programming to counter transnational criminal organizations operating in the Pacific, from maritime law enforcement and expanded shiprider operations to intelligence sharing and stronger border security.
In a joint communiqué, the partners pledged to continue “fighting transnational crime and strengthening maritime security in the Blue Pacific Continent to better protect all our communities.”
Secretary Rubio met with the foreign ministers of Finland and Hungary on October 29 to strengthen economic and security cooperation with each country, signing new Memoranda of Understanding with both.
With Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, the Secretary signed the U.S.-Finland Technology Prosperity Deal and a Critical Minerals Framework Agreement to support technology collaboration and secure critical supply chains.
“Everything from semiconductors to batteries to defense systems to energy infrastructure ... is dependent on [critical minerals],” Secretary Rubio said. Finland is “an ideal and critical partner in the world” of mining.
With Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orbán, the Secretary signed two agreements: one advancing Hungary’s energy diversification under the Trump Peace Pipelines Framework, and another deepening law enforcement cooperation. The energy framework is built to meet Central Europe’s needs through U.S. energy and to open alternative sources of supply.
The Peace Pipelines Framework is “a testament to the growing strength of the U.S.-Hungary economic cooperation,” Secretary Rubio said at the signing ceremony. “It demonstrates how our two countries can work together to deliver tangible results for our citizens.”
|
