On April 12, Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan led an interagency team of United States senior officials and experts to U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) headquarters in Miami, Florida, where he hosted ministers and disaster management officials from 18 Caribbean countries, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, and the Regional Security System to launch the new “U.S.-Caribbean Resilience Partnership.”

The “U.S.-Caribbean Resilience Partnership” will strengthen the U.S.-Caribbean relationship and advance our shared interests in achieving greater resilience to natural disasters. The Partnership involves the following initiatives:

Understanding Risk and Enabling Action

• Weather Information-Sharing and Storm Surge Mapping: The United States, through funding provided by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), will roll out storm surge mapping to additional countries in the Caribbean, enabling governments to assess and mitigate flooding risks from tropical cyclones and tsunamis. The United States, through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), will continue to offer weather information sharing capabilities with Caribbean countries.
• Space Technologies for Risk Reduction and Resilience: The United States, through the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), will make geospatial information openly accessible, understandable, and readily useable with Caribbean partners to ensure the region’s decision-makers and stakeholders have the tools necessary to implement sustainable resilience policies. S. and Caribbean officials will continue high-level policy dialogues and collaboration on the use of Earth observation tools to build resilience and reduce risk during the Understanding Risk: Caribbean Conference in Barbados, May 27, and a NASA-led workshop on vulnerability and exposure of infrastructure in Puerto Rico, August 6-8. The United States will be an active partner when Jamaica hosts the first United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) Americas and Caribbean Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction meeting in 2020.
• Monitoring Terrestrial Hazards: The United States, through USAID and in partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), will offer technical assistance to the University of the West Indies’ Seismic Research Center for Dominica and other Caribbean nations to build technical skills in monitoring volcanoes via the Volcano Disaster Assistance Program. This assistance will help Caribbean countries continue improving their ability to provide early warning. The United States supports resilience to terrestrial hazards through the installation of seismic stations for the Caribbean Tsunami Early Warning System, as well as technical consultations and capacity building on coastal inundation and erosion hazards.

Building Resilient Communities

• Empowering Local Community Resilience: The United States, through the Inter-American Foundation (IAF), plans to provide $650,000 in grants to eastern Caribbean community organizations to improve disaster mitigation and resilience.
• Planning Smarter, Responding Better: The United States, through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), committed to sharing best practices and lessons learned from its recovery efforts in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and other parts of the United States recently impacted by hurricanes. Information sharing will include the use of industry standards and building codes to build back and improve the resilience of disaster-impacted facilities and infrastructure.
• Network Resilience: The United States, through the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), committed to share with its Caribbean regulatory counterparts best practices in emergency communications and disaster preparedness.
• Resilient Energy Systems: Under the Caribbean Energy Security Initiative (CESI), the Departmentof State is working toward resilient, cost-effective, and secure energy re-development efforts in support of disaster recovery in Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica. Building on this effort, U.S. and Caribbean officials announced the Advancing Caribbean Energy Resilience (ACER) Workshop to be organized by the Department of Energy in partnership with the Department of State and theOrganization of American States (OAS) in Puerto Rico, May 2-3. The ACER workshop will further advance energy resilience in the Caribbean and bring together technical experts and regional policymakers to learn about tools for powering critical infrastructure and microgrids.

Improving Disaster Response

• U.S. Assistance to the Caribbean: The United States, through USAID, will offer skills development training to the Caribbean Red Cross National Societies and to their volunteers. The United States will also work with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency and Regional Security System to strengthen regional response capabilities. Ongoing USAID programs in the Caribbean help islands prepare for their annual hurricane seasons. USAID maintains prepositioned emergency supplies in Florida, Texas, and Haiti. USAID has trained on-call local disaster relief staff and consultants that monitor and collect information on potential disasters in the Caribbean and enable the U.S. government to respond immediately should a country request assistance.
• Civil-Military Coordination and Training: In addition to sharing best practices in military and civilian disaster response, SOUTHCOM officials announced U.S. participation in the establishment of a Multi-National Caribbean Coordination Center in Barbados that will support information sharing and coordination among allied partners when responding to disasters in the Caribbean. The Coordination Center will support the Caribbean-focused Tradewinds Exercise in June to train over 600 Caribbean military and security personnel in responding to natural disasters and land and maritime threats. This exercise will also incorporate civilian authorities in a disaster simulation planning exercise. On behalf of the United States, the Deputy Secretary and a representative of the Regional Security System signed an End Use Agreement, which outlined a new plan for cooperative activities to help build the defense and security of the eastern Caribbean region.
• Civil Aviation in the Caribbean in Time of Disaster: The United States and participating Caribbean countries signed a declaration of intent to expand civil aviation cooperation to promote the resumption of critical services quickly after a disaster. The declaration of intent specifically calls for the creation of a disaster resilience-planning group, the “Caribbean Aviation Resilience and Recovery Group,” to share information and lessons learned for recovery from disaster events, and to enhance partnerships and communication mechanisms to mitigate vulnerabilities and strengthen recovery efforts in Caribbean aviation. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will work with aviation partners in the Caribbean to achieve the goals of the declaration of intent.

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The United States congratulates Yemeni parliamentarians who convened today for the first time since 2014. This is an important step taken by the Yemeni government to reinvigorate legitimate government institutions, resume progress on implementing the National Dialogue Conference outcomes, and complete the peaceful transition of power envisioned by the GCC Initiative. A reinvigorated Yemeni parliament will play an important role in advancing political and national reconciliation so the Republic of Yemen government, and all political parties, can better focus on meeting the needs of the Yemeni people. We fully support the parliamentarians and encourage them to honor the principles of honesty, integrity, transparency, accountability, and rule of law as they undertake their important responsibilities.

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External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.

QUESTION: Mr. Pompeo, thank you for your time. You’re visiting Chile, Paraguay, Peru, and Colombia to reinforce commitment to democracy and human rights in Venezuela, and you have said that every option is on the table. Military intervention – is it still an option?

SECRETARY POMPEO: President Trump’s been unambiguous. The United States stands squarely behind the Venezuelan people. We will restore democracy. We will protect the human rights. We’ve done so with political tools, our diplomatic tools; we’ve provided hundreds of metric tons of food that, sadly, we’ve not been able to get in. And every single tool, every single option remains on the table.

QUESTION: So the answer is yes?

SECRETARY POMPEO: The answer is yes.

QUESTION: And this is a option even when the Lima Group, including Chile, reject the military option? Are you able to hold that military option even if you don’t have the support from other countries of the region?

SECRETARY POMPEO: Look, I’m here today to talk about how it is we’re going to achieve a diplomatic solution here, how we’re going to support the OAS, the Lima Group countries like Brazil, Peru, here in Chile to support our collective efforts to ensure that Nicolas Maduro cannot continue to kill and starve his people. That’s our mission set. We’ve made no bones about our commitment. We’re going to be here until this work is done and our efforts – our efforts to build out what is now a 54-nation coalition that understands Juan Guaido is the proper leader of his country. And we’ll be with him today, we’ll be with him the day that Maduro leaves, and we’ll be with him in the days thereafter to begin to rebuild Venezuela.

QUESTION: Venezuela is backed by China and Russia. Do you think that the support of China and Russia to Venezuela makes Maduro’s exit more complex or even an impossible task?

SECRETARY POMPEO: Not impossible, but it makes it more difficult, there’s no doubt. I think the Russian interference – you were talking a minute ago about America intervening. Well, Russia intervened. Russia intervened. They went against the leadership of the country of Venezuela. They intervened without authority. They don’t have the consent of the Venezuelan people to be there. They’re there as a hostile power. Juan Guaido is the duly elected leader. They came in to support Nicolas Maduro, who today is the former leader of Venezuela. So it’s quite hypocrisy when nations like those in the OAS and Lima Group get accused of intervening in Venezuela when the Russians have troops on the ground, and more importantly, when you really have a state that was turned over as a security matter to the Cubans long ago.

QUESTION: Admiral Craig Faller, who leads the U.S. Southern Command, said the military is awaiting instructions from the Trump administration on military intervention in Venezuela. He said, “The crisis in Venezuela could approach that degree by the end of this year if Maduro still remains in power.” It is true? Is this year, the end of this year the deadline for Maduro for you?

SECRETARY POMPEO: I hope it’s much sooner than that. I hope that Maduro while we’re sitting here has made the decision to do the right thing for the Venezuelan people. It’s unlikely. He’s never done that before, but my hope is that the – all the array of opposition to Maduro, all those leaders who were talking to the United States of America looking for a plane ticket and a passport someplace out – I hope that those leaders will all take us up on those offers. They will leave, and they will allow the Venezuelans to vote for their next leader, to have a democracy, and then get the economic support they need to rebuild what Maduro has destroyed over the past years.

QUESTION: Mr. Pompeo, you’re willing hold that military option even who you don’t have the support of the United Nations Security Council?

SECRETARY POMPEO: We – I don’t know how many times I can answer this question. We’ve made clear our goal is to convince Maduro it is time to leave. We’re going to leave every option on the table to use to achieve that objective.

QUESTION: Even if you don’t have the support of the UN —

SECRETARY POMPEO: I’ve answered —

QUESTION: — and the Security Council?

SECRETARY POMPEO: Ma’am, I’ve answered your question.

QUESTION: Like Iraq?

SECRETARY POMPEO: Ma’am, I don’t understand your question. Like Iraq what?

QUESTION: If you don’t have the support of Security Council. That’s the question.

SECRETARY POMPEO: I don’t understand your question. We – our commitment is very, very clear.

QUESTION: You can hold the military option even if you don’t have the support —

SECRETARY POMPEO: Ma’am, our position is very clear. I’ve answered it now four times for you, and I appreciate that you’ve asked it seven times. Answered this question four times for you. Our work is diligent to find a diplomatic, political resolution to save the people from Venezuela from the Cubans, the Russians, and this tyrant Nicolas Maduro, period, full stop.

QUESTION: I want to ask you about what do you think about Julian Assange prison detention in London? What’s the position of the United States about that?

SECRETARY POMPEO: So there’s an active case in litigation. I don’t have anything in particular that I can add about that. Suffice it to say America is always happy, as I think the people of Chile are happy, when those who have stolen information and put the lives of soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines at risk are being brought to justice. We had Americans serving abroad whose information was stolen and then put into the public. That puts our people at risk. That’s not right. That’s not journalism. And I hope that anyone who engages in activity is held accountable.

QUESTION: I ask you because three years ago the President Trump said that he loved WikiLeaks.

SECRETARY POMPEO: I think we all understand this stolen information put Americans at risk. I’m confident the President of the United States, who has done more to keep America secure than any president in years, understands that too.

QUESTION: So do you think Assange’s arrest a threat to the free press like some people say?

SECRETARY POMPEO: I don’t have anything to comment about that case in particular. There’s active litigation taking place there, so unfortunately, I’m not able to comment on that.

QUESTION: Okay. Thank you very much, Mr. Pompeo.

SECRETARY POMPEO: Thank you.

QUESTION: Thank you for the interview.

SECRETARY POMPEO: Thank you.

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Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo will travel to Dallas and College Station, Texas, April 14–15.

In Dallas, April 15, the Secretary will meet with members of the Iranian-American diaspora community. He will solicit their thoughts and discuss issues pertaining to U.S. policy on Iran.

In College Station, April 15, he will deliver remarks at Texas A&M University as part of the Wiley Lecture Series. His remarks will highlight the impact of diplomacy on daily life and make the case to students that a career at the State Department is a powerful way to serve America. The Secretary also will visit the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum.

Stay connected at https://blogs.state.gov/engage, and keep track of all of the Secretary’s travels at https://www.state.gov/secretary/travel/index.htm

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External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.

QUESTION:  Mr. Secretary, thank you for your time with CNN Chile.

SECRETARY POMPEO:  It’s wonderful to be with you.

QUESTION:  Regarding to Venezuela, it has been three months since Juan Guaido is president in charge.  We are in another stage.  Why are you coming here now in South America 72 hours before the meeting of Grupo de Lima?

SECRETARY POMPEO:  So I came to Chile for a number of reasons, one of which was to talk about the challenge in Venezuela, how it is that together Chile, Brazil, Peru, the OAS, the Lima Group, all of us working together can get what the Venezuelan people so richly deserve: their democracy and off of the place they are today, under the thumb of the Cubans and the Russians and the Maduro regime.

I came also to talk about the important partnership between our two countries, the economic activity, the security activity that the United States and Chile conduct together.  It was wonderful to be with President Pinera and my foreign minister counterpart as well.

QUESTION:  And what did you come to ask for Chile specifically in relation with Venezuela?

SECRETARY POMPEO:  So with respect to Venezuela, it was a thank you as much as anything else, but also we wanted to look each other in the eye and verify we’re going to stay the course.  This is an important mission that matters to the region, it matters to the United States, but most importantly, it matters to the Venezuelan people.  And so we wanted to have a conversation about what are the things we could do, how can we continue to grow this coalition.  Over 50 countries today have said that, no, Maduro, you’re not the leader; Juan Guaido is the duly elected leader.  We’ll build out that coalition and we’ll continue to isolate Maduro until such time as the Venezuelan people get what they deserve.

QUESTION:  But there are 195 countries.

SECRETARY POMPEO:  Yep.

QUESTION:  Only 54 support your plan?

SECRETARY POMPEO:  So far only 54 have come across the line and gotten it right and spoken the truth about what Venezuela so richly deserves.  But you should know that those months ago that you describe, there were none.  This is an amazing coalition that’s been put together.  I wish that the Russians and the Chinese would stop interfering.  It’s kind of funny.  They accuse the Americans and the Chileans of intervening when, in fact, they have soldiers on the ground; when in fact, the Cubans are running the security state apparatus inside of Venezuela.  I think the Venezuelan people know that’s wrong.  I think the people of the world know that that’s a tragedy.  The Cubans need to go home.

QUESTION:  Concerning Chile’s President Pinera, such a good political partner of the U.S., as President Bolsonaro is? 

SECRETARY POMPEO:  They’re both great friends of the United States.  They are both leading democratic institutions, trying to do all they can to serve their people, to grow their own markets, their own economy, to provide security for their own people.  They’re both fantastic partners.

QUESTION:  You have said recently it seems that the support of Russia, China, Cuba, Iran has been strong enough to support Maduro.  Is the U.S. plan not working?

SECRETARY POMPEO:  We’re being incredibly successful.  Take a look at the nations that you just identified.  Look who those are.  Look at the democratic values that are on the other side of that, right?  Russia, no democratic values; China; Iran, killing hundreds of Americans and conducting terror campaigns all around the world, right?  Hizballah here in South America fomenting terror.  I am convinced that the people of South America understand who shares their values, who their friends are.  And that – that value set, that common understanding about the right way to move forward – will lead us to the outcome that the Venezuelan people deserve.  I am very convinced of that. 

QUESTION:  A few days ago you said Maduro is a threat for the U.S., and some time ago President Trump has said that all options are on the table.  Are you asking for support in a potential military intervention in Venezuela?

SECRETARY POMPEO:  Both of those statements are true.  Maduro is definitely a threat to the United States of America.  I went through the list of ways, I think, when I gave that answer.  I won’t go through them now.  But the list is long about how it affects American lives, and the President has been unambiguous.  We’re going to use every tool in the American toolkit.  I’m here; I’m America’s most senior diplomat.  I’m here today to figure out how we can get a political resolution that is the right outcome.  But make no mistake about it:  The United States refuses[1] to take any tool within our capacity to deliver democracy for the Venezuelan people. 

QUESTION:  Militarism?

SECRETARY POMPEO:  Every option. 

QUESTION:  It wasn’t the first time for the U.S. to be involved in removing a leader in this region, but this time the region seems to be with the U.S. 

SECRETARY POMPEO:  In some ways the region is out in front of us.  It’s remarkable to watch countries from Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, Argentina – it’s remarkable to see the nations of the region group together yesterday – Jamaica voted with us at the OAS to recognize Juan Guaido’s designee as the proper representative inside of the OAS. 

Yeah, this is a global coalition designed – not designed to overthrow Maduro.  That’s the outcome.  What it’s designed to do is restore the democracy that the Venezuelan people are demanding.  Maduro has to go.  It is not possible.  He has destroyed this country for years and years and years.  He has caused more hunger, more starvation, more deprivation in that country than any previous leader in Venezuela, so he’ll have to leave.  But our goal is more than that.  Our goal is to make sure that democracy is restored to that great nation. 

QUESTION:  Chile will host the climate change conference in December.  Does the U.S. Government still have doubts about the climate change?

SECRETARY POMPEO:  The United States believes that the best solution to keeping every human being healthy are free markets, transparent rule of law, and economic success.  The nations that are the safest, that have the cleanest air and the safest drinking water, are those that have the rule of law and democracy. 

We’ve watched what’s happened.  We’ve watched nations that are part of the Paris agreement continue to spew carbon – indeed, more carbon than they were before.  We live in the real world in the United States.  President Trump is a realist.  It’s one thing to sign a piece of paper to make a commitment to reduce CO2.  It’s another thing to actually do it.  We are convinced the United States will lead.  Our innovation, our technology, is unequaled.  And we’re convinced that when we do that and do it well, that we’ll still have clean air and safe drinking water for generations to come. 

QUESTION:  Chile is interested in enacting the 5G in Chile.  President Pinera goes to China in a few days.  Would the U.S. be concerned if Pinera accepted invitation to visit the Huawei plant in China?

SECRETARY POMPEO:  He is the president of a sovereign nation.  He gets to make decisions about who he sees or where he travels.  What we talked about today and what we’ve said publicly is that Huawei is controlled by the Government of China.  It is deeply connected.  And so putting one’s citizens’ information on that kind of technology, on that Chinese infrastructure, presents real risk to the citizens of your country.  And so we have urged nations to check it out, to see if we’re right – we know that we are – and then make good decisions for themselves. 

And we have secondarily told them that, boy, if we’re going to share information with you, Americans’ information, or if we’re going to work on security projects with you, we don’t have confidence in those systems; and so if you put those systems, if you put systems that aren’t trusted, untrusted systems inside your network, it will force the United States to make decisions about where we put our information as well.

QUESTION:  Thank you, Mr. Pompeo — 

SECRETARY POMPEO:  Thank you.

QUESTION:  — for this time with CNN Chile.

SECRETARY POMPEO:  Thank you, ma’am. 

_____

[1] The United states is not refusing to take any tool within our capacity…

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