Source: United States SOUTHERN COMMAND
MIAMI (Jun. 20, 2024) — U.S. Army Gen. Laura Richardson, the commander of U.S. Southern Command, visited Honduras June 17-18 and met with Honduran President Xiomara Castro and other senior officials to discuss continued bilateral cooperation.
Richardson’s visit to Honduras was her fifth as SOUTHCOM commander. The trip included a visit to Joint Task Force-Bravo to preside over the task force’s change of command ceremony.
After arriving in Tegucigalpa June 17, Richardson and Ambassador Laura F. Dogu met with Castro at the Presidential House to discuss continued security cooperation, building a strong economy, and strengthening democracy.
Dogu and Richardson later met with Minister of Defense José Manuel Zelaya Rosales, General of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces of Honduras, Roosevelt Leonel Hernández Aguilar, and senior Honduran defense leaders to discuss continued cooperation and efforts to strengthen the U.S.-Honduran defense partnership.
Also on the 17th, the general and ambassador discussed the best path to economic prosperity with key Honduran business leaders.
Later in the day, Richardson and Dogu took part in a ceremony as the U.S. donated vehicles, body armor and equipment to Honduras’ Fuerzas Especiales Navales to bolster their efforts to counter transnational criminal organizations. The United States has a long-term commitment to the Honduran people and is always looking for opportunities to help improve their security.
On June 18, Dogu and Richardson traveled to Joint Task Force-Bravo, meeting with service members and presiding over the task force’s change of command ceremony. The task force, operating out of the Honduran Soto Cano Air Base, has for decades strengthened regional security cooperation and supported humanitarian and disaster relief efforts in Honduras and the region.