SAN JUAN - Gov. Alejandro García Padilla met Monday with U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to discuss specific strategies in the fight against crime including increased federal resources and equipment to address public safety.
According to the press office of La Fortaleza, the meeting, attended by the secretary Ingrid Vila governor and attorney Luis Sanchez Betances, also discussed the possibility of including the Caribbean Immigration Reform in President Barack Obama, the release from prison Puerto Rican political prisoner Oscar López and the proposal of a federal incentive to hold a plebiscite on status in the island.
On the issue of immigration reform proposed by Obama, the governor said he is concerned that the inclusion of the Caribbean border budget allocation proposed by the project that is currently in Congress (S. 744) for federal agencies more effective drug protecting the entrance to the United States.
According to the Office of Federal Drug Control, 80 percent of the drug entering Puerto Rico is in transit to the United States and most of the rest stay on the island. The Commonwealth government has encouraged the operation known as Coastal Shield that seeks to protect the Caribbean border. If not included Caribbean border in federal measure, García Padilla fears that the flow of drugs will move from one border to another, which would mean higher costs for government in protecting drug trafficking between the U.S. and the Caribbean.
As for the status query, the governor said that he welcomes President Obama's initiative to promote self-determination process that is transparent, fair and democratic.
He added that if Congress approves the proposed budget for this purpose, work with Holder to ensure that all points of view on the political status of Puerto Rico are heard and respected at all stages of the process.
Finally, the CEO used the meeting to reiterate to Holder's importance to the people of Puerto Rico the release of Oscar López Rivera, order that would have been sent to President Obama, in a letter sent last March.
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