It reduces the urge to make money from illegal drugs, and it improves governments capability to stem the flow of narcotics. These matters are in the interests of hemispheric leaders to address, and it is in the U.S. interest that they do so. And the same is true with the remainder of the Summit agenda. From the concrete steps toward a multilateral alliance against drugs, to progress on global climate change and clean energy, the Summit will address the issues that matter to our citizens. The Santiago Summit will call for creation of a justice studies center to strengthen the rule of law.
Independent judiciaries are essential for strong democracies.
And it will help establish the office of a Special Rapporteur to advocate for freedom of expression, something important to members of this institution. You might know that, since 1988, almost 200 reporters have given their lives in pursuit of a story, undermining the public dialogue on which democracy is built. Democracy cannot deliver without a free press, and we cannot tolerate intimidation of free expression, whether it be by drug lords, guerrillas, or by governments. Open markets are important, they said, but the deciding factor was Costa Rica s educated workforce, stable democracy, and respect for the rule of law. This is exactly the point that our hemispheric neighbors understood when they were developing the Summit agenda almost a year ago.