Spain’s Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, inaugurated the meeting “The Path to Institutionalisation. United We Are Stronger”, in Santiago de Compostela, organised by Ameripol to draft the founding treaty of this police cooperation organisation in Latin America.

Marlaska highlighted the need to strengthen international police cooperation to combat organised crime. “Individual response is limited. Experience teaches us that with international support and collaboration we are more effective, both in prevention and in the prosecution and repression of criminals.”

Ameripol has organised a meeting in the Galician capital with the aim of laying the bases for the founding treaty of this organisation. Sponsored since 2011 by Spain and supported by the European Union, it aims to play a role in Latin America equivalent to that of Europol on the European continent.

Under the title “The Path to Institutionalisation. United We Are Stronger”, the representatives of the eleven participating Latin American countries will debate from this Monday until 9 June the drafting of the 29 articles of the legal treaty for the constitution of Ameripol, which will be signed in the coming months in Brasilia.

Grande-Marlaska recalled in his words of welcome the effort made to set up this police cooperation platform. A platform that from its beginnings had the support of Spain through the Ministry of the Interior and the National Police. “I want to reaffirm the Spanish commitment to the roadmap that still remains to be completed within the framework of the  EL PAcCTO project “Support for Ameripol”, which will continue to have the support of the EU”, he added.

“Ameripol is the best partner for cooperation with Europe in bi-regional police matters and after its legal consolidation, a range of possibilities for cooperation with Europol and other European agencies will open up, from which we will all benefit.”

Award and bilateral meeting

After the opening remarks, the president of Ameripol, Andrés Severino, conferred on Grande-Marlaska the Grand Order of Ameripol. It is a recognition of Spain’s contribution to the creation and development of the Latin American organisation for police cooperation.

Subsequently, the Minister of the Interior held a bilateral meeting with the head of Security of the Argentine Republic, Aníbal Fernández. Both ministers highlighted the high level of cooperation between the two countries. Also the common interest in the fight against organised crime, terrorism and trafficking in human beings.

The importance of the creation of the Latin American Committee for Internal Security (CLASI), which is promoting the development of public security policies and the definition of joint strategies between the countries of Latin America and the European Union was also addressed.

The general director of the Police, Francisco Pardo, also participated in the conference. Pardo pointed out that “in a world in which practically all the threats to our security have a global dimension, cooperation between our continents is the path we must follow.”