MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Peña holds key meeting with US Southern Command Chief

Peña highlighted the historic friendship between the United States and Paraguay

US Southern Command (Southcom) Chief, Admiral Alvin Holsey, has met with Paraguayan President Santiago Peña to strengthen the strategic alliance between the two countries. President Peña awarded Holsey the Order of Merit of the Armed Forces, Paraguay's highest military decoration, in recognition of his support for the South American nation.

Both leaders emphasized that this partnership was built on mutual trust and shared values, including democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. President Peña highlighted the Southern Command's role as a strategic ally in providing defense, humanitarian assistance, and training, while Holsey noted that their relationship was essential for ensuring security and stability in the region.

“This decoration not only honors his exemplary career in the service of his country, but also constitutes a genuine recognition of his ongoing support for the Republic of Paraguay,” said President Peña, emphasizing that “this ceremony reflects the strength of the historical ties that unite us and our shared vision of a more integrated and secure continent.”

“Our bilateral relations in the field of defense and security have been built and strengthened on a solid foundation: mutual trust and shared responsibility, which firmly guide the path of security and development of our nations,” the president added.

The Southern Command has established itself as a strategic ally for the Paraguayan State, providing decisive support in the areas of defense, humanitarian assistance, and training, “which have fully strengthened our institutions, significantly increasing our operational and response capabilities,” the President also noted.

Peña also highlighted the historic friendship between the United States and Paraguay, “which will soon celebrate 165 years of fruitful relations.”

He insisted these relations were “not based on simple interests and circumstances, but on the deepest values, all included in the Declaration of Independence: equality, freedom, and fundamental human rights.”

“These shared values and our unshakeable Christian roots explain above all the deep friendship between the United States and Paraguay,” the president further noted.

“It is an honor to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners in Paraguay,” Admiral Holdey reckoned while underlining that relations between the two nations were based on cooperation, mutual respect, and close friendship, which are “the necessary conditions for ensuring the security, stability, and prosperity of our shared neighborhood.”

“Relations between our nations and armed forces are based not only on culture, history, and economics, but also on mutual trust. That trust is the foundation of our commitment to maintaining and expanding democracy and its fundamental values, respect for human rights, and the rule of law,” he stressed.

He also highlighted that, at the regional level, the river security resilience program is developing capabilities to carry out interdictions on waterways, and referred to the cybersecurity operations center and the development of special capabilities to counter transnational criminal organizations. (Source: IP)