The meeting of the Ministers of Defense of the Western Hemisphere

Monday, 10 October, 2016 - 17:15

The meeting of defense ministers of the Western Hemisphere begins in Trinidad and Tobago.

The defense ministers of the 34 countries will take part in the conference.

This year the main theme is «to strengthen defense and security cooperation in the hemisphere, in the changing global environment».

Despite the fact that the central theme will be a respond to natural disasters and the environmental protection. It must not be forgotten the meeting is traditionally considered as the pro-American gathering of military leaders to work out a common strategy. It is the first time since 1995, that such meeting takes place in a Latin American country. Moreover, Trinidad and Tobago are the Latin American country conditionally. In fact it is the American bridgehead on the border with Venezuela, against whom Washington has stepped up its campaign.

Furthermore, it is already known that during the conference the US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter is going to hold a series of bilateral meetings, some of which will be held in closed sessions. Particularly the meeting Ashton Carter with the Colombian delegation was designated. Most probably, according to the signed by the Colombian government and FARC rebels’ agreement, it will focus on a lot of US military bases on the territory of this strategically important country for the White House, and the international community recommends these bases to be taken out for achieving the full peace.