Gen. Richardson visits Tradewinds 2023
Guyana leadership and foreign dignitaries speak to participants of TRADEWINDS 23 at Camp Stephenson, Guyana, July 26, 2023. TRADEWINDS is a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored exercise designed to strengthen partnerships and interoperability, promote human rights, as well as increase all participants' training capacity and capability to mitigate, plan for and respond to crises and security threats. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Joshua Taeckens)
Gen. Richardson visits Guyana
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (July 27, 2023) – The commander of U.S. Southern Command, U.S Army Gen. Laura Richardson, and Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Chief of Staff, Brigadier Omar Khan, sign the Human Rights Framework committing their organizations to “human rights engagement, cooperation and integration.” With the signing of the Framework, Guyana became the 13th nation to join SOUTHCOM’s Human Rights Initiative (HRI). (Courtesy photo)
Gen. Richardson meets with Honduran President Castro
HONDURAS (July 28, 2023) -- U.S. Army Gen. Laura Richardson, commander of U.S. Southern Command, talks with Honduran President Xiomara Castro at the Casa Presidencial de Honduras in Tegucigalpa. Both leaders met to discuss continued bilateral cooperation. (Photo courtesy U.S. Embassy Honduras)
Gen. Richardson visits Tradewinds 2023
U.S. Coast Guard members pose for a group photo with Gen. Laura Richardson, commander, U.S. Southern Command, during Tradewinds 2023, July 26, 2023, in Georgetown, Guyana. Tradewinds is an annual multidimensional ground, air, sea, and cyber exercise that provides participating nations opportunities to conduct combined training focused on enhancing regional cooperation in complex multinational security operations. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Kimberly Reaves)
Gen. Richardson visits Tradewinds 2023
U.S. Army Gen. Laura Richardson, Commander of U.S. Southern Command and Guyana Defense Force (GDF) Brigadier Omar Khan, Chief of Staff of the GDF exchange plaques during the closing ceremony for Tradewinds 2023 at Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Guyana on July 27, 2023. This ceremony was a part of TRADEWINDS23, which is a U.S. Army Southern Command-led multinational exercise designed to build partnership with Caribbean Nations and American partner nations. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Trevor Wilson)
Gen. Richardson visits Tradewinds 2023
U.S. Army Gen. Laura Richardson, Commander of U.S. Southern Command gives a speech during the closing ceremony for Tradewinds 2023 at Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Guyana on July 27, 2023. This ceremony was a part of TRADEWINDS23, which is a U.S. Army Southern Command-led multinational exercise designed to build partnership with Caribbean Nations and American partner nations. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Trevor Wilson)
Gen. Richardson visits Tradewinds 2023
Guyana Prime Minister, Mark Phillips and U.S. Army Gen. Laura Richardson conducted an exchange of jump wings ceremony during distinguished visitor day at Camp Stephenson, Guyana on July 26, 2023. This ceremony was a part of TRADEWINDS23, which is a U.S. Army Southern Command-led multinational exercise designed to build partnership with Caribbean Nations and American partner nations. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Trevor Wilson)
Gen. Richardson visits Tradewinds 2023
Guyana Prime Minister, Mark Phillips speaks with U.S. Army Gen. Laura Richardson during a reception for distinguished visitor day at Air Base London, Guyana on July 26, 2023. Distinguished visitors from multiple nations arrived to view the culmination of TRADEWINDS23, which is a U.S. Army Southern Command-led multinational exercise designed to build partnership with Caribbean Nations and American partner nations. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Spc. Trevor Wilson)
Gen. Richardson visits Tradewinds 2023
U.S. Southern Command Commanding General, Gen. Laura Richardson (left), shakes the hand of a Mexican Marine paratrooper at an Airborne Wing Exchange ceremony at TRADEWINDS 23 on Camp Stephenson, Guyana, July 26, 2023. TRADEWINDS is a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored exercise designed to strengthen partnerships and interoperability, promote human rights, as well as increase all participants' training capacity and capability to mitigate, plan for and respond to crises and security threats. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Joshua Taeckens)
Gen. Richardson visits Tradewinds 2023
Guyana leadership and foreign dignitaries attend an Airborne Wing Exchange ceremony at TRADEWINDS 23 on Camp Stephenson, Guyana, July 26, 2023. TRADEWINDS is a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored exercise designed to strengthen partnerships and interoperability, promote human rights, as well as increase all participants' training capacity and capability to mitigate, plan for and respond to crises and security threats. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Joshua Taeckens)
Gen. Richardson visits Tradewinds 2023
Guyana leadership and foreign dignitaries receive briefing about the operations of TRADEWINDS 23 at Camp Stephenson, Guyana, July 26, 2023. TRADEWINDS is a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored exercise designed to strengthen partnerships and interoperability, promote human rights, as well as increase all participants' training capacity and capability to mitigate, plan for and respond to crises and security threats. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Joshua Taeckens)
Gen. Richardson visits Tradewinds 2023
Guyana leadership and foreign dignitaries receive a live, mock display of the operations of TRADEWINDS 23 at Camp Stephenson, Guyana, July 26, 2023. TRADEWINDS is a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored exercise designed to strengthen partnerships and interoperability, promote human rights, as well as increase all participants' training capacity and capability to mitigate, plan for and respond to crises and security threats. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Joshua Taeckens)
Gen. Richardson visits Tradewinds 2023
Guyana leadership and foreign dignitaries receive a live, mock display of the operations of TRADEWINDS 23 at Camp Stephenson, Guyana, July 26, 2023. TRADEWINDS is a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored exercise designed to strengthen partnerships and interoperability, promote human rights, as well as increase all participants' training capacity and capability to mitigate, plan for and respond to crises and security threats. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Joshua Taeckens)
Gen. Richardson visits Tradewinds 2023
Guyana leadership and foreign dignitaries receive a brief about the operations of TRADEWINDS 23 at Air Base London, Guyana, July 26, 2023. TRADEWINDS is a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored exercise designed to strengthen partnerships and interoperability, promote human rights, as well as increase all participants' training capacity and capability to mitigate, plan for and respond to crises and security threats. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Joshua Taeckens)
Gen. Richardson visits Tradewinds 2023
Guyana leadership and foreign dignitaries receive a brief about the operations of TRADEWINDS 23 at Air Base London, Guyana, July 26, 2023. TRADEWINDS is a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored exercise designed to strengthen partnerships and interoperability, promote human rights, as well as increase all participants' training capacity and capability to mitigate, plan for and respond to crises and security threats. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Joshua Taeckens)
Gen. Richardson visits Tradewinds 2023
U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) Commander, Gen. Laura Richardson (right) and Gerry Gouveia, Guyana national security advisor, walk together at the distinguished visitor day during TRADEWINDS 23 at Air Base London, Guyana, July 26, 2023. TRADEWINDS is a SOUTHCOM-sponsored exercise designed to strengthen partnerships and interoperability, promote human rights, as well as increase all participants' training capacity and capability to mitigate, plan for and respond to crises and security threats. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Joshua Taeckens)
Gen. Richardson visits CARICOM
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (July 27, 2023) – The commander of U.S. Southern Command, U.S Army Gen. Laura Richardson, meets with CARICOM Secretary General Dr. Carla Natalie Barnett to discuss regional security, including cyber security and climate change. Richardson visited Guyana to see forces participating in the Tradewinds 2023 exercise and meet with defense and regional leaders. (U.S. Army photo) (U.S. Army photo)
By SOUTHCOM Public Affairs / Published July 29, 2023
MIAMI -- The commander of U.S. Southern Command, U.S. Army Gen. Laura Richardson, visited Guyana and Honduras July 25 – 28 and met with military and senior government leaders.
The general also took part in the July 27 closing ceremony for the Guyana-hosted Tradewinds training exercise that included forces from the United States and 20 partner nations.
Guyana
After arriving on the evening of July 25, Richardson met with Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch to discuss the U.S. defense partnership with Guyana and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) July 26.
Also on the 26th, Richardson and the ambassador met with U.S. and multinational service members participating in Tradewinds at various sites across Guyana. Tradewinds is a Caribbean-focused multinational exercise aimed at increasing the region’s security capacity, strengthening partnerships among participating defense and public-security forces, fostering international cooperation, and promoting human rights.
On July 27, Richardson met with Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Chief of Staff, Brigadier Omar Khan, to discuss the U.S.-Guyana defense partnership. Also during the bilateral meeting, Khan and Richardson signed the Human Rights Framework, committing their organizations to “human rights engagement, cooperation and integration.” (See Embassy Guyana press release)
With the signing of the Framework, Guyana became the thirteenth nation to join SOUTHCOM’s Human Rights Initiative (HRI).
Richardson then met with CARICOM Secretary General Dr. Carla Natalie Barnett to discuss regional security, including cyber security and climate change.
Later on the 27th, Richardson joined senior leaders to take part in the closing ceremony of Tradewinds.
"For 38 years, we have gathered to build partner nation capacity, strengthen partnerships, improve interoperability, and promote human rights,” Richardson said at the closing ceremony. "Multinational partnerships, formed and strengthened through all-domain exercises such as Tradewinds, enhance our ability to confront global security threats, and deter malign actors."
"Strong multi-national partnerships that span the globe not only reflect an enduring promise to one-another, but also to democracy – or what I like to call Team Democracy,” Richardson said.
The U.S. and Guyana enjoy a longstanding security partnership marked by strong collaboration between SOUTHCOM and the GDF.
Honduras
Richardson arrived in Honduras July 27. On July 28, Richardson met with Honduran President Xiomara Castro and other senior defense officials to discuss continued bilateral cooperation.
The U.S. is committed to remain Honduras’ primary security partner as the two countries share a close and longstanding defense partnership, united by diplomatic, historic, and cultural ties.
