Colombia Beefs Up
Security For McCain
Visit
Colombia on Tuesday
tightened security
measures for the visit
of John McCain, the
presumptive Republican
nominee for the U.S.
presidency.
McCain arrived in the
port city of Cartagena
at 5 p.m. (2200 GMT) on
Tuesday for a two-day
visit to Colombia. He
was welcomed by
President Alvaro Uribe.
Cartagena police
commanders confirmed
that some 2,000
personnel had been
deployed to provide
additional security
during his visit.
"The controls were
increased, there was
aerial and land control
in all the places McCain
visited," said a
commander of Cartagena's
metropolitan police.
Local media reported
that members of the U.S.
secret service had been
posted outside Cartagena
days prior to McCain's
visit, in order to
oversee security
measures.
McCain was accompanied
by his wife Cindy
McCain, and U.S.
Senators Joe Lieberman
and Lindsey Graham.
In his meeting with
McCain, Uribe will urge
the U.S. Congress to
approve the Free Trade
Agreement between the
two countries signed in
November 2006, Colombian
officials said.
McCain will also meet
with Colombian
businessmen and members
of the
Colombian-American
Chamber on Wednesday,
before heading to
Mexico.
|
