U.S. Under Secretary coming to Belize

Maria Otero

A top US official will be visiting next week. She is the Under Secretary of the U.S. Department of State, Maria Otero. When she arrives on the twenty-eighth and twenty-ninth, she will be meeting with officials and non-governmental agencies to discuss the bilateral relationship between Belize and the US.  Otero is Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights. Her tasks include assessing situations involving population, trafficking in persons, rule of law, counter-narcotics and countering violent extremism. Born in La Paz, Bolivia, Otero is currently the highest ranking Hispanic official at the State Department, and the first Latina Under Secretary in its history. She is recognized as one of the world’s leading experts on inclusive economic growth, women’s issues and international development.