SECRETARY RUBIO: We wanted to come here today and finish our trip by showing you firsthand the kind of foreign aid America wants to be involved in. These are programs that most certainly make us safer and stronger, with the opportunity to be more prosperous. First you saw a demonstration of the work that's being done on apprehending fugitives - fugitives of American justice that are wanted for extradition, fugitives guilty of committing crimes, transnational crimes in many cases, and that partnership where biometric information is being used to identify people so that that's who they really are. Oftentimes these people are carrying documents that are false, but the biometrics allow us to identify them.
One key point I wanted to make about that program, which is something we - we didn't discuss today in the press conference but we've talked about, but it falls in the theme of aligning these efforts with our national interest is, there are certain individuals, certain fugitives that can be extradited, that are actually strategic objectives. These are people that are both undermining our partner countries, but we also want because they're key figures in some transnational group that's in our national interest. There are a lot of people around the world that are guilty of crimes that are fugitives, but that are - there are some that are strategic objectives, meaning they help us strengthen our partners and they help us to cut the head off the snake of a transnational group that's particularly dangerous.
And so one of the things we're going to be working very closely with our new attorney general and the Justice Department is prioritizing our extradition requests so that they align with our strategic objective with regards to who it is that we're going after.
Second is you saw the K-9 unit that was able to identify fentanyl. And I don't think I need to explain to anybody what a danger and how damaging that's been to our country in the United States. And again, when it comes to issues of drug trafficking, when it comes to issues of illegal migration, I've often said and repeated that our border doesn't start with Mexico, it starts much further south. So one of the ways that you see these trans-shipment points as they work their way towards the United States, unfortunately part of it is through Guatemala. And the way to cut back on that is to have vetted units who work very closely with, who have the capacity through the K-9 units to identify fentanyl shipments that are often obviously hiding among other cargo or baggage or what have you.
And then the third and final point is the precursors, and that is the basic elements that you need in order to be able to make fentanyl in a lab in Mexico, as an example. And you saw a case there that they were talking about where they were able to seize enough precursor of fentanyl to kill two thirds of the U.S. population. And the ability to identify that safely, because if you come in contact with it, it'll kill you, so the ability to find it safely and use the devices - again, another partnership with the DEA and local authorities.
So this is a product of two things: number one, the willingness of a partner, nation-state, to work with us, to build up these units and confront these challenges; and number two, of the aid the United States is able to provide to build up these programs, build up the vetted units, have the technology, get the K-9 units and the like in order to do this kind of work. This is an example of foreign aid that's in our national interest. That's why I've issued a waiver for these programs, that's why these programs are coming back online and they will be functioning, because it's a way of showing to the American people this is the kind of foreign aid that's aligned with our foreign policy, with our national interest.
(In Spanish.)
All right. Questions?
MODERATOR: (Inaudible.)
QUESTION: What about dealing with the root causes of migration? The previous administration talked about the root causes. How (inaudible) is that? Is that (inaudible) —
SECRETARY RUBIO: What is that now, sir?
QUESTION: The root causes of migration - poverty, violence. Is U.S. aid also - is U.S. assistance also going to address this?
SECRETARY RUBIO: It is. And I mean, the biggest way to deal with the lack of economic growth and prosperity is to encourage it. And it begins with security. You can't have economic prosperity if your country's insecure. It's why we emphasized today the need for democratic norms. And look - I mean, it's not just a talking point, right? Businesses are not going to invest in a country where there's going to be some coup and a new authority's going to take over and basically tell you this factory no longer belongs to you. And businesses aren't going to invest in a country where they have to bribe elected officials to get a contract, because it's a violation of federal law. So if you want to encourage more American investment, that's the first step, is you have to have governance.
The second is security. You're not going to - you know how many companies around the world - the United States is in countries where our companies that are investing are extorted, and they're - you're basically told, if you don't pay us every month, we're going to burn down your factory, we're going to burn down your business. So security's critical, and it's also a driver of migration. People leave in many cases because they don't want to live in a place where they have to pay extortion money, they don't have to pay - they don't have to worry about their own physical security. One of the big changes that's happened in El Salvador, you couldn't be in business in El Salvador without paying extortion. And one of the reasons why we've seen a huge drop-off in migration from El Salvador is because that's - that problem has been dealt with in terms of the gangs that once plagued that country.
And then the third is economic opportunity, as you've discussed. And that is - it becomes possible when these two things are dealt with, security and stability. And so that's why we talked today about the work they want to do with the Army Corps of Engineers to be able to build and expand their port facilities so that Guatemala can become a hub, a regional hub of transit. And that's why we've pledged the support of our trade and economic (inaudible) State Department to pursue even more opportunities where there can be further investment. That's why we want to take the relationship Guatemala has with Taiwan and expand it beyond diplomatic relations to stronger economic ties as well in terms of bringing investment. All these things create jobs. It takes away not just - it doesn't just make countries richer. It takes away the need and the pressure to leave your country.
QUESTION: (In Spanish.)
SECRETARY RUBIO: (In Spanish.)
QUESTION: (In Spanish.)
SECRETARY RUBIO: (In Spanish.)
QUESTION: (In Spanish.)
SECRETARY RUBIO: (In Spanish.)
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary -
SECRETARY RUBIO: Yeah.
QUESTION: I wanted to ask you about your acting director (inaudible) acting under secretary for public diplomacy, Darren Beattie. He's been appointed under you. I'm not sure of whether that's your appointment or one that's been made by -
SECRETARY RUBIO: Well, he applied. He went through the process that the transition office went through. He'll be acting in that capacity, and he'll largely be focused - as that department will be - on not wanting this Department of State to be involved in censorship. And that's who's going to - that's been the focus. That's the reason why he wanted to come work at the department, is because unfortunately elements of the State Department were being used to censor American voices, and that'll be his focus.
QUESTION: And the ADL, the Anti-Defamation League, has said he's unsuitable based on the comments that he made, including on his X account - on his X account he's also made white nationalist comments, sexist comments, and seems to be anti-Uyghur, pro-Chinese, and made comments about Taiwan. There's a lot of concern about him as an individual -
SECRETARY RUBIO: Again, his focus is acting director. We have a nominee for that position and will be the permanent person who runs that division. And in the meantime, he's someone who was brought on board because he's strongly committed to ending the censorship programs that were being operated out of the State Department, which can no longer continue and will no longer continue.
QUESTION: Have you seen his X account?
SECRETARY RUBIO: Okay. Thank you guys.
