President Ali joins President Trump for Shield of the Americas Summit

President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali on Saturday joined United States (US) President Donald Trump for the historic ‘Shield of the Americas’ Summit, which brought together leaders from across Latin America.

The summit took place in Doral, Miami, Florida, with President Ali among 12 regional leaders who attended from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, and Trinidad and Tobago.

President Trump addressed the regional leaders, urging them to take military action against drug trafficking cartels and transnational organisations, which he said pose an “unacceptable threat” to the hemisphere’s security. US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth also addressed the historic gathering.

Following the remarks, President Ali and his counterparts joined President Trump for the signing of a proclamation committing to dismantle cartels and foreign terrorist organisations operating in the Western Hemisphere.

“President of Guyana, Irfaan Ali, thank you,” the US President expressed as he thanked the leaders for accepting the invitation to attend the summit.

Later in the day, President Ali participated in a working lunch with US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio and Special Envoy for “The Shield of the Americas, Kristi Noem.

Also present was US Secretary of Energy, Chris Wright, War Secretary, Pete Hegesth, among other members of the US Administration.

The US Department of State has said that this historic coalition of nations will work together to advance strategies that stop foreign interference in our hemisphere, criminal and narco-terrorist gangs and cartels, and illegal and mass immigration. 

President Ali and Trinidadian Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar are only the two Caribbean leaders invited to the summit.