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Friday, July 27, 2012

Pierluisi Meets with U.S. Coast Guard Admiral to Discuss the Service’s Resources in Puerto Rico

Washington, DC - Yesterday, Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi met with the Deputy for Operations, Policy, and Capabilities of the U.S. Coast Guard, Rear Admiral (RADM) William Lee, to urge the Coast Guard to act with a sense of urgency and to allocate the resources to Puerto Rico that are needed to alleviate the drug-fueled public safety crisis on the Island.

“I have serious concerns regarding the resources that are currently being allocated to Sector San Juan, which is part of U.S. Coast Guard District 7. Puerto Rico has about 300 miles of coastline, including Culebra and Vieques, and a drug trafficking problem that is far more severe than other jurisdictions within District 7 and around the nation. Puerto Rico needs to receive adequate resources from the Coast Guard, both as an absolute matter and relative to other sectors,” said Pierluisi.

“The murder rate in Puerto Rico is far higher than the murder rate in any of the 50 states. Most of the homicides on the Island are linked to the cross-border trade in illegal narcotics, which is primarily a federal responsibility to combat. In the five-year period between 2007 and 2011, the number of homicides nationwide fell by over 20 percent. In that same time period, however, the number of murders in Puerto Rico rose by over 55 percent. Nevertheless, the federal law enforcement footprint on the Island has not evolved in the face of these profoundly changed circumstances. The Coast Guard, like other federal law enforcement agencies, cannot continue to conduct business as usual. It must surge resources to Puerto Rico until significant progress is achieved, because the current situation is absolutely untenable,” the Resident Commissioner added.

During the meeting with Pierluisi, RADM Lee confirmed that the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, has established a task force within her agency to address drug trafficking and associated violence in Puerto Rico. This task force includes representatives from the Coast Guard and has already convened multiple times, including the very day that the Resident Commissioner and Admiral Lee met. RADM Lee assured Pierluisi that Puerto Rico has the full attention of Secretary Napolitano.

Admiral Lee further informed the Resident Commissioner that he is currently working with RADM William Baumgartner, the Commander of Coast Guard District 7, to discuss specific steps that can be taken in the short term to reduce the flow of drugs into Puerto Rico.

Finally, Admiral Lee praised the Resident Commissioner on his knowledge of current Coast Guard assets in Puerto Rico, like planes, helicopters and boats, and how those assets compare to assets in other jurisdictions within District 7. Admiral Lee reiterated that the Coast Guard is fully committed to Puerto Rico and to reducing drug trafficking and related violence on the Island.