Security
The Central America Regional Security Initiative (CARSI) is a multi-million dollar effort by the U.S. State Department to combat the effects of organized crime and strengthen the rule of law in Central America. Between fiscal years 2008 and 2011, the United States provided Central America with $361.5 million through the Merida Initiative and CARSI. Congress has approved an additional $105 million for CARSI in fiscal year 2012.
The "Mérida Initiative" is a multi-billion dollar effort by the United States government to assist Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean in their fight against drug trafficking organizations. Proposed under President Bush and implemented under President Obama, the program has provided close to $1.8 billion in assistance to the region to date. About $1.5 billion has gone to Mexico, $300 million to Central America and $40 million to the Caribbean.
"Plan Colombia" is a multi-pronged, multi-billion dollar effort to battle drug trafficking organizations (DTOs), insurgencies and paramilitary groups in the Andean nation. Passed in 2000 at the tail end of the Clinton administration, the plan enjoyed bipartisan support in Washington and helped initiate and sustain widespread systemic changes in Colombia that have helped the country dismantle several large criminal groups including the North Valley Cartel (Cartel del Norte del Valle - NVC), the United Self Defense Forces of Colombia (Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia - AUC) paramilitary group and the National Liberation Army (Ejército de Liberación Nacional - ELN) insurgency.
