The below is attributable to Spokesperson Ned Price:
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met with Costa Rican Foreign Minister Rodolfo Solano Quirós, Dominican Foreign Minister Roberto Álvarez, and Panamanian Foreign Minister Erika Mouynes on March 2 in Washington, DC. Secretary Blinken expressed strong appreciation for the leadership role the three governments took in forming the Alliance for Development in Democracy, a model for how leaders in the Western Hemisphere can collaborate to make progress on issues of common concern. Secretary Blinken thanked the Foreign Ministers for their nations’ efforts to strengthen democratic institutions and norms, including supporting the Nicaraguan people as they strive to re-establish democracy and protect their human rights from Ortega-Murillo regime abuses. They also advanced ongoing joint efforts to improve safe, orderly, and humane migration throughout the region. On regional issues, the group further noted Honduras’ progress in carrying out a democratic transition, and the Xiomara Castro administration’s efforts to combat corruption. They discussed the importance of restoring democracy in Haiti through a Haitian-led dialogue. The group discussed plans to increase coordination on nearshoring, financing, and trade to bolster economic recovery from the effects of the pandemic. Finally, Secretary Blinken noted the valuable support all three countries in the global effort to stand up for democracy and sovereignty for Ukraine and respond to Russia’s aggression with decisive action.