U.S. Embassy Guatemala has transferred five UH-1H helicopters to the Air Interdiction, Antinarcotics and Antiterrorism Task Force (Fuerza de Tarea de Interdicción Aérea, Antinarcótica y Antiterrorista – FIAAT) to combat drug trafficking.
Transferencia responsabilidad técnica #FIAAT marca resultado de cooperation bilateral 🇺🇸🇬🇹 x medio @StateINL y @mingobguate c/interdicción aérea y terrestre p/combatir narcotráficoter narcotráficoter narcotráficoter 20 predráfico , en 20 20 Seguridad. pic.twitter.com/Q00Vo4DxDY
— US Embassy Guatemala (@usembassyguate) August 24, 2022
The ceremony in which responsibility for the flight was transferred to the Guatemalan authorities took place on Wednesday, August 24, and was attended by the US ambassador to Guatemala, William Popp, the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, David Napoleón Barrientos, and officials. of the National Police (PNC).
According to the announcement of the Government of Guatemala, the ceremony of the transfer of the UH-1H Huey II was also attended by the Minister of Public Security, Henry Reyes Chigua, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mario Adolfo Búcaro, First Deputy of Defense. , Carlos Franco Urzúa, Fifth Vice Minister of Antinarcotics, Fernando Rodas, Director of the Counterdrug and Law Enforcement Affairs Section (INL) of the U.S. Embassy. Guatemala, Kelly Hapka, police officers and special guests.
«Today, we receive the responsibility of complying with the international standards for the system and the corresponding system, which will allow the aircraft to remain in good condition, while it is operated by the United States Government in the State of Guatemala. I also thank and appreciate the work done by FIAAT staff, because they are an important group in the fight against drug trafficking in the country,” said Minister Barrientos.
Ambassador Popp stressed that during this period FIAAT has strengthened the presence of the State in vulnerable areas of the country, increased the technical capacity of its staff and cooperates with the international law enforcement community in the destruction of the areas of secretly, to pass the evidence. , the eradication of illegal crops and the arrest of people who could be imported from the country. However, the greatest achievement of this force has been the cooperation carried out in many operations without accidents and following the best security standards.
A group of helicopters was provided by the US government to Guatemalan authorities in 2013, through the US Department of State’s Office of Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL), but was not monitored by government officials. of Guatemala so far.
These aircraft have been used for the direct fight against drug trafficking and related crimes, the transfer of humanitarian aid in natural disasters and the delivery of vaccine doses during the Covid-19 epidemic to areas which are difficult to reach.
