USSOUTHCOM commander nominee vows continued partnership building
04 August 2021
by Ashley Roque
Working to strengthen the United States' relationship with Central and South American countries will be central to stemming off growing Chinese and Russian influence in the region, US Army Lieutenant General Laura Richardson told lawmakers during her confirmation hearing to be the next US Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) commander.
The three-star general, serving as the US Army North commanding general, appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee on 3 August to field lawmakers' questions about how she would approach the role as head of USSOUTHCOM. If confirmed, she said countering Beijing and Moscow's diplomatic expansion in the region would be a chief focal point, much as it is today to the command.