Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Peace Corps, and Narcotics Affairs, today chaired a hearing of the full Foreign Relations Committee to consider several nominations important to the hemisphere.

The full text of Senator Dodd’s prepared opening remarks is below:

Since the end of the cold war, US foreign policy towards central and South America has tended to focus narrowly on three issues:  elections, trade and anti-drug programs.  While I understand and accept that these three focuses will need to remain necessary components of any policy in the region, I believe that alone, they have never been sufficient for bringing about the real holistic change that the hemisphere requires, that its people demand, and that serves our interests.

In the broadest sense we need to see political development to include civil society and institution-building, social contracts and the rule of law.  We must see beyond “free trade” as a panacea to Latin America’s social and economic woes, and instead work to embrace holistic development, which should include not only trade, but also investment in infrastructure, education, public health, foreign aid and direct investment.  And we must no longer “stay the course” in our failed policies of drug eradication and demand-reduction.  Rather, we must create smarter targeted anti-drug programs, work to replace black market economies with legitimate investment, and strengthen civilian law enforcement and justice institutions.

I credit the Administration for proposing the Mérida initiative to respond to concerns voiced by our neighbors in their request for aid in combating increasing drug trafficking and violence in Mexico and Central America.  I support the spirit of Merida and I hope to work closely with our allies to make sure we tackle these collective concerns.  But in my view the Mérida initiative will never fully succeed if we do not work to put in place adequate institutions that can systemically address civil society and institution building, as well as corruption and the rule of law.

Our Central America neighbors will need well-trained and equipped military forces to confront the most violent criminals.  But I would strongly argue that the region also needs equally well trained and equipped police and civilian authorities, operating in a fair and impartial judicial system to enforce and uphold the rule of law. 

In joining with our neighbors to combat these increasing problems, we must recognize that our neighbors are taking important steps to respond to the needs of their citizens.  And they are doing so because they are closer than ever to completing the transition to stable, democratic civil societies, ones with social contracts who are tackling some of their societies’ most difficult problems.  With the exception of Cuba, every nation in the Western Hemisphere has a democratically elected government.

But many problems still persist: Inequality plagues our hemisphere.  Income and wealth disparities in Latin America are the worst in the world.  Nicaragua for example, is the second poorest country in our hemisphere.  In the region, social and economic exclusion are rampant, fostering conditions in which political radicalism thrives and crime rates soar to six times greater than the rest of the world.  And a result of these debilitating conditions, millions of Latin Americans have emigrated from the region in search of better opportunities—nearly 100 million have left since World War Two.  Many countries, such as Guatemala and El Salvador are also struggling with impunity.   

Now given this duality, on the one hand continuing challenges we face with poverty, impunity, crime and violence, and on the other hand, democratic governments responding to their people’s needs, the question seems to be how we in the United States will work to promote our mutual interests in partnership with our neighbors to the south.  Because a renewed relationship with a stronger, more prosperous and democratic Latin America that can handle it’s own political, social and economic affairs is in everyone’s interests, especially our own.

Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Guatemala and Panama are diverse countries with proud histories.  Some face serious challenges with poverty and inequality, others with crime and violence.  But all of these countries have democratic governments, and the United States must take the lead in engaging these neighbors, working in a respectful manner towards advancing our mutual interests in the broadest sense.

So, I welcome all of you to the committee here today, and congratulate you on being selected by the President to serve in these important posts.  I look forward to engaging in  a lively discussion about these critical matters.

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