Brussels, 07/02/2013 (Agence Europe) - President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz will next week visit Mexico, Costa Rica and Colombia.
Schulz (Germany) will carry out his first official visit to three Latin American countries on 11-15 February. In each country he visits he will meet institutional partners, representatives from civil society and NGOs, and students. “Europe and Latin America are natural partners to face the challenges of the 21st century. My visit aims at strengthening our relations, which still offer many untapped opportunities for both sides”, he said in a press release on 7 February.
In Mexico City on 11-12 February, Schulz will meet Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and the foreign affairs minister, José Antonio Meade. A meeting with human rights NGOs, a round table discussion with European chambers of commerce, and a meeting with the president of the Mexican senate, Ernesto Cordero Arroyo, are also planned.
In San José on 13 February, Schulz will meet Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla and also the president of the Costa Rican parliament, Victor Emilio Calvo Granados, and the presidents of the Central American parliaments. A meeting with former Costa Rican president and Nobel prizewinner, Oscar Arias, is also on the programme, as is a meeting with civil society NGOs.
Finally, in Bogota on 14 February, Schulz will meet Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, and Vice-President Angelino Garzon. Meetings with the president of the Colombian senate, Roy Barreras, the deputy attorney, Jorge Perdomo, and human rights NGOs are also planned. (EH/transl.fl)