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Press Releases 2013

General John F. Kelly Visits Honduras

January 8, 2013
Ambassador Lisa Kubiske, General John F. Kelly, and President of Honduras Porfirio Lobo Sosa (Casa Presidencial de Honduras Photo)

Ambassador Lisa Kubiske, General John F. Kelly, and President of Honduras Porfirio Lobo Sosa (Casa Presidencial de Honduras Photo)

TEGUCIGALPA - General John F. Kelly, Commander of U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), visited Honduras January 8-9 to meet with local officials.

This was General Kelly’s first visit to Honduras in his current position as head of SOUTHCOM, which oversees activities carried out by the U.S. military with the defense and security institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean. The trip provided an opportunity to continue the bilateral dialogue between the armed forces and explore future areas of military cooperation between our two countries.
During his visit, General Kelly met with the President of Honduras Porfirio Lobo Sosa, Foreign Minister Arturo Corrales, Defense Minister Marlon Pascua, and the Chief of Joint Staff General Rene Osorio.
Among the issues of security and cooperation discussed were cooperation in combating transnational threats, organized crime and drug trafficking, support for humanitarian assistance projects, training activities to support peacekeeping missions and respond to natural disasters, knowledge and professional experiences exchange in areas such as human rights, educational exchanges and participation in bilateral and multinational exercises.
The general also met with Ambassador Lisa Kubiske and Embassy staff to discuss the support that the United States can provide to Honduras to assist the country in its efforts to strengthen its democratic institutions, defend freedoms and rights of their citizens and strengthen the bonds of friendship between the two peoples.
General Kelly arrived at the United States Southern Command after serving from March 2011 until October 2012 as the Senior Military Assistant for the Secretary of  Defense.

This was General Kelly's first visit to Honduras in his current position as head of SOUTHCOM, which oversees activities carried out by the U.S. military with the defense and security institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean. The trip provided an opportunity to continue the bilateral dialogue between the armed forces and explore future areas of military cooperation between our two countries.

During his visit, General Kelly met with the President of Honduras Porfirio Lobo Sosa, Foreign Minister Arturo Corrales, Defense Minister Marlon Pascua, and the Chief of Joint Staff General Rene Osorio.

Among the issues of security and cooperation discussed were cooperation in combating transnational threats, organized crime and drug trafficking, support for humanitarian assistance projects, training activities to support peacekeeping missions and respond to natural disasters, knowledge and professional experiences exchange in areas such as human rights, educational exchanges and participation in bilateral and multinational exercises.

The General also met with Ambassador Lisa Kubiske and Embassy staff to discuss the support that the United States can provide to Honduras to assist the country in its efforts to strengthen its democratic institutions, defend freedoms and rights of their citizens and strengthen the bonds of friendship between the two peoples.

General Kelly arrived at the United States Southern Command after serving from March 2011 until October 2012 as the Senior Military Assistant for the Secretary of  Defense.