AND OTHERS WILL TRY TO EX-
EXPLOIT THE SITUATION FOR THEIR
OWN GAIN.
AND WE MUST NOT LET THAT
HAPPEN.
WE WILL NEVER LET THAT HAPPEN.
TODAY THE UNITED STATES IS
LAUNCHING ENHANCED COUNTER-
NARCOTICS OPERATIONS IN THE
WESTERN HEMISPHERE TO PROTECT
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE FROM THE
DEADLY SCOURGE OF ILLEGAL
NARCOTICS.
WE MUST NOT LET THE DRUG
CARTELS EXPLOIT THE PANDEMIC TO
THREATEN AMERICAN LIVES.
IN COOPERATION WITH THE 22
PARTNER NATIONS, U.S. SOUTHERN
COMMAND WILL INCREASE
SURVEILLANCE, DISRUPTION AND
SEIZURES OF DRUG SHIPMENTS AND
PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR
ERADICATION EFFORTS GOING ON
RIGHT NOW AT A RECORD PACE.
WE'RE DEPLOYING ADDITIONAL NAVY
DESTROYERERS, COMBAT SHIPS, AND
COAST GUARD CUTTERS, AND AIR
FORCE SURVEILLANCE AIRCRAFT,
DOUBLING OUR CAPABILITIES IN
THE REGION.
VERY IMPORTANTLY, OUR FORCES
ARE FULLY EQUIPPED WITH
PERSONNEL, PROTECTIVE
EQUIPMENT.
AND WE'VE TAKEN ADDITIONAL
SAFETY MEASURES TO ENSURE THAT
THE TROOPS REMAIN HEALTHY.
MARK ESPER, BILL BARR, ROBERT
O'BRIEN WILL PROVIDE MORE
DETAILS.
IN ADDITION I'M GOING TO HAVE
GENERAL, WHO HAS DONE AN
INCREDIBLE JOB SAY A FEW WORDS,
AND ALSO WITH US ARE CHIEF OF
NAVAL OPERATIONS, ADMIRAL, AND
ADMIRAL SCHULTZ SO I'M GOING TO
ASK MARK TO START.
AND THEN WE CAN GO AND AFTER
THAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE
QUESTIONS AS IT PERTAINS TO
THIS.
AND THEN WE'LL GO ON TO PHASE 2
WHICH IS THE VIRUS ITSELF.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT
AND GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
BE HERE AS WE MAKE THIS
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT.
AT A TIME WHEN THE NATION AND
THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ARE
FOCUSED ON PROTECTING THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE FROM THE SPREAD
OF THE CORONAVIRUS, WE ALSO
REMAIN VIGILANT TO THE MANY
OTHER THREATS OUR COUNTRY
FACES.
TODAY, AT THE PRESIDENT'S
DIRECTION, THE DEPARTMENT OF
DEFENSE IN CLOSE COOPERATION
WITH OUR INTERAGENCY PARTNERS
BEGAN ENHANCED COUNTER-
NARCOTICS OPERATIONS IN THE
EASTERN PACIFIC OCEAN AND THE
CARIBBEAN SEA.
THIS IS PART OF THE WHOLE OF
GOVERNMENT APPROACH TO
COMBATING THE FLOW OF ELICIT
DRUGS INTO THE UNITED STATES
AND PROTECTING THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE FROM THEIR SCOURGE.
I WANT TO THANK ALL OF OUR
PARTNERS, INCLUDING THE COAST
GUARD, THE DEPARTMENT OF
HOMELAND SECURITY, THE DRUG
ENFORCEMENT AGENCY, THE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, AND
MEMBERS OF THE INTELLIGENCE
COMMITTEE FOR THEIR TREMENDOUS
SUPPORT AND COOPERATION.
TO CONDUCT THESE ENHANCED
OPERATIONS, THE PRESIDENT HAS
DIRECTED THE DEPLOYMENT OF
FORCES TO THE SOUTHERN COMMAND
AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY.
COAST GUARD CUTTERS, AIRCRAFT,
AND ASSISTANCE BRIGADE.
THESE WILL DOUBLE OUR CAPACITY
TO CONDUCT COUNTER-NARCOTICS
OPERATIONS IN THE AREA.
22 PARTNER NATIONS HAVE JOIN
WITH US.
LAST YEAR ALONE, THE UNITED
STATES SOUTHERN COMMAND'S
OPERATIONS RESULTED IN THE
SEIZURE OF 280 METRIC TONS OF
DRUGS MUCH OF WHICH WAS
DESIGNATED FOR SHIPMENT TO
AMERICA.
THERE'S MUCH MORE WORK TO BE
DONE.
CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS
CONTINUE TO THREATEN OUR
SECURITY BY SMUGGLING COCAINE,
FENTANYL, METHAMPHETAMINE AND
OTHER NARCOTICS ACROSS OUR
BORDERS.
THESE DRUG TRAFFICKERS PUT
COMMUNITIES AT RISK AND DESTROY
LIVES.
TENS OF THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS
DIE FROM DRUG OVERDOSE, AND
THOUSANDS MORE SUFFER THE
HARMFUL EFFECTS OF ADDICTION.
CORRUPT ACTORS LIKE THE REGIME
IN VENEZUELA RELY ON THE
PROFITS DERIVED TO MAINTAIN THE
OPPRESSIVE HOLD ON POWER.
THE VENEZUELAN PEOPLE CONTINUE
TO SUFFER TREMENDOUSLY.
DRUG TRAFFICKERS ARE SEIZING ON
THIS LAWLESSNESS BY INCREASING
ILLICIT ACTIVITIES.
THESE OPERATIONS THAT ARE NOW
UNDERWAY WILL DISRUPT THE FLOW
OF ILLICIT DRUGS TO AMERICA.
AND BUILD THE CAPACITY OF OUR
PARTNER NATIONS THROUGHOUT THE
REGION.
I WANT TO THANK PRESIDENT TRUMP
FOR HIS LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT
TO THIS CRITICAL MISSION.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT TIME FOR
THE OPERATION TO BEGIN.
AS NATIONS AROUND THE WORLD
SHIFT FOLKS INWARD TO DEAL WITH
THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC.
MANY CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS ARE
ATTEMPTING TO CAPITALIZE ON THE
CRISIS.
THE ENHANCED OPERATIONS WILL
KEEP THE PRESSURE ON THE
CRIMINAL GROUPS AND PROTECT THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE FROM THE
DEVASTATION CAUSED BY THE FLOW
OF ILLEGAL DRUGS INTO THE
COUNTRY.
MR.PRESIDENT, THANK YOU FOR
YOUR LEADERSHIP.
THE MEN AND WOMEN WORK HARD AT
HOME.
AND WE CONTINUE TO TAKE ACTION
AROUND THE WORLD TO DEFEND OUR
GREAT COUNTRY.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, SECRETARY FOR
THOSE WORDS, AND THANK YOU, MR.
PRESIDENT FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
AND I WANT TO THANK THE
COMMANDER OF THE U.S. SOUTHERN
COMMAND OUT OF MIAMI FOR
LEADING THE OPERATION WHICH IS
UNDERWAY TODAY.
AND CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS.
THERE'S THOUSANDS OF SAILORS,
COAST GUARDSMEN, SOLDIERS,
AIRMEN, AND MARINES INVOLVED IN
THE OPERATION.
AND WE CAME UPON SOME
INTELLIGENCE THAT THE DRUG
CARTELS AS A RESULT OF COVID-19
WERE GOING TO TRY TO TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF THE SITUATION AND
TRY TO INFILTRATE ADDITIONAL
DRUGS INTO THE COUNTRY.
70,000 AMERICANS DIE ON AN
ANNUAL BASIS TO DRUGS.
THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE.
WE'RE AT WAR WITH COVID-19 AND
TERRORISTS AND THE DRUG CARTELS
AS WELL.
THIS IS THE UNITED STATES
MILITARY.
AND YOU WILL NOT PENETRATE THIS
COUNTRY.
AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO COME IN
AND KILL ADDITIONAL AMERICANS,
AND WE'LL MARSHALL WHATEVER.
SHIPS FROM AND FOR THE NAVAL
FLEET AT NORFOLK AND THEY HAVE
SET SALE AND THEY ARE IN THE
CARIBBEAN RIGHT NOW.
AND TEN COAST GUARD CUTTERS AND
THE SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES
ALONG WITH AIR FORCE
RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS YOU ARE NOT
GOING TO GET THROUGH.