Vice President Biden Heads to Mexico, Honduras

Vice President Joe Biden left for Mexico and Honduras on Sunday for an important two-day diplomatic trip, according to a statement released by the White House.

Biden was due to arrive in Mexico City last Sunday night or early Monday morning. He is scheduled to meet Mexican President Felipe Calderon along with three other major party candidates for the presidency, the statement said.

Mexico is getting ready for a presidential election on July 1, which has been hotly contested given the amount of drug related violence that had occurred over the past several years.

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While in Mexico City Biden will meet with President Calderon and "will underscore the United States' commitment to deepening our close dialogue and cooperation with Mexico on a broad range of issues."

The vice president will also visit the Honduran capital city of Tegucigalpa. While in Honduras, Biden will conduct a bilateral meeting with President Lobo.

"In Honduras, he will hold consultations with President Lobo (Sosa) and then meet with Central American leaders to discuss the full range of bilateral, regional, and international issues," the White House added.

In addition to meeting with both heads of state the vice president will also be a part of a meeting with Central American leaders, who have been invited to a joint meeting by President Lobo, the current President Pro Tempore of the Central American Integration System.

The meeting is expected to focus on crime and security within the region, given Guatemalan President Otto Pérez Molina's recent statement concerning his country and others should consider legalizing drugs to help reduce violence in the region.

The Vice President will also meet with various officials about the upcoming Summit of the Americas, which is scheduled to be held in Colombia in April.

The nature of that summit will focus on "leveraging Hemispheric connections and partnerships to improve the lives of people throughout the region," according to the statement.