Remarks Ambassador Laura F. Dogu Fuerzas Comando 2022 Opening Ceremony

Good afternoon.

My colleagues in the diplomatic corps – are you ready for the competition?

I say this because not only are our Special Forces competing, we are also competing.

And I’m going with Team USA.

But I am also supporting the Catracho team.

Mr. Private Secretary of the Presidency, Hector Zelaya;

Mr. Undersecretary of State of National Defense, Colonel Melgar Urbina;

Mr. Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Honduran Armed Forces, Vice Admiral Fortín Aguilar.

I am proud of this cooperation between our Armed Forces.

Without a doubt, it is an opportunity to strengthen our alliances to respond to any emergency.

Together, we promote regional cooperation among Special Forces units.

We do this through the spirit of friendly competition.

But the purpose of a military exercise is more serious – it is to be prepared for future

combined operations.

I hope in the future to see more military women in the Special Forces and some

in this competition.

I want to acknowledge the sacrifice, time, and resources that Honduras has committed to being

the host this year.

Organizing, planning, and executing a regional military exercise is not easy for any host. But Honduras has done very well!

For my part, I thank the U.S. Southern Command and the U.S. Special Operations Command South for the support provided to Honduras.

My best wishes for success to all the teams.

I know that our Catracho allies hope to raise the trophy again in victory, just like in 2017.

But as U.S. Ambassador and mother of children in the U.S. military, I have to say:

LET’S GO USA!

HOOAH!!