Ambassador Wayne and Military Deputy Commander of the US Southern Command, Lieutenant General Spears Pay Homage to Fallen UN Peacekeepers

March 27, 2009

General Poza, Ambassador Earl Anthony Wayne, Lieutenant General Spears, Ms. Luciana Micha and CAECOPAZ Director, Colonel Raul Bertoia

Ambassador Wayne and the Military Deputy Commander of the United States Southern Command, Lieutenant General Glenn. F. Spears, visited on March 27 the Argentine Joint Training Center for Peacekeeping Operations in Campo de Mayo, to pay homage to the Argentine Armed Forces’ contributions and sacrifices in peacekeeping operations across the globe.

“It is an honor and a privilege to recognize and pay respects to the sacrifices made by the Argentine soldiers, sailors, and airmen in fulfilling the promise made by the Government of Argentina to the world to support and maintain global peace and security.” – said Ambassador Wayne at the Argentine Joint Training Center for Peacekeeping Operations (CAECOPAZ). 

Since 1958, Argentinean armed forces have been involved in global peacekeeping. CAECOPAZ was founded in 1995 to train and prepare Argentinean peacekeepers (both military and civilian) under the auspices of the United Nations. Since then, 32,000 Argentine peacekeepers have been trained in support of UN-sponsored peacekeeping missions. Of those 32,000, Argentina has recorded 15 deaths in peacekeeping operations in former Yugoslavia, Kuwait, Mozambique, Haiti and Cyprus. 

After unveiling a memorial plaque in honor of the fallen, Lieutenant General Spears said: “These Argentine peacekeepers have paid the ultimate price with their lives. I humbly pay my respects and honor the commitment and sacrifice made by all; the fallen, their families, and those of CAECOPAZ.”

It is with much pleasure that the Southern Command has provided support to this excellent training center. In the last three years, the Southern Command has supported the Argentine Joint Staff and CAECOPAZ with 350,000 US dollars to train their staff and improve infrastructure, in the name of assuring global peace and security. 

“The U.S. government recognizes Argentina’s importance and contributions to global peacekeeping and strongly supports this.” – said Ambassador Wayne.