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LivinginPeru.com
Isabel Guerra

Peru's President Alan García asked today his Ecuadorian counterpart, Rafael Correa, to lead the reduction in military purchases in the region, with the aim of designating these resources to fight against poverty.

He said this during the opening of the Binational Encounter Peru-Ecuador, which is currently taking place in Piura (Peru).

Garcia reiterated his proposals of disarmament in the region, the same ones he already presented in the last meeting of the Union of South American Nations (Unasur) last August.

“I believe that History and God have put Ecuador and Peru, you and me, in the same place, to take the first step of this journey. We have nothing dividing us, nor parting us; right now we are together and with the same illusions for the future. So we could start giving an example, using all our resources to go to employment, justice and welfare of the poorest,” said García.

He emphasized during the last five years, countries in the region have spent US $ 23 billion purchasing armaments, and if the tendency continues, this could rise up to US $35 billion.

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