The below is attributable to Spokesperson Rebecca Chalif:
Today, Administrator Samantha Power was in Miami, Florida, where she spoke with journalists from Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela about the importance of press freedom, as well as with leaders from the Miami business community to discuss private sector engagement in Central America.
In the meeting with journalists who have been forced to flee their countries in the face of media crackdowns and broader repression, the Administrator discussed the vital importance of a free and independent media, and heard from the group about the challenges they face in providing factual information to people in their countries. They discussed why they live in exile, and what it’s like for their counterparts back in Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. During the meeting, the Administrator discussed USAID’s efforts to support independent media in the region, and heard from the journalists about the efficacy of existing programs and their ideas for supporting independent media in the Latin America and the Caribbean region.
Administrator Power then sat down with leaders from the Miami business community who gathered at the Council of the Americas to discuss the role of the private sector in development and how businesses can engage with USAID to advance development objectives in Central America. The conversation focused on Vice President Kamala Harris’s Call to Action for private sector investment in Northern Central America as well as the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to expand access to seasonal work visas and strengthen labor protections in order to help reduce irregular migration and address critical temporary labor needs in the U.S. The group discussed the scourge of corruption in many countries in the region and the crucial role of the business community in anti-corruption and good governance efforts. The group also discussed the upcoming Summit of the Americas and areas of collaboration including gender equality and trade facilitation.