Security will be a key topic during Obama's visit. Violence associated with efforts to dismantle drug trafficking groups in Mexico has been gradually increasing in Central America for years — parts of the region are now even more violent than Mexico. There is rising concern, particularly in Costa Rica, over whether the Central American governments have the capacity to handle rising street crime associated with drug trafficking. Honduras and Guatemala are confronting particularly challenging criminal landscapes. Washington has increased its commitment to funding counternarcotics efforts in Central America, but its involvement has remained limited as the United States focuses the majority of its security efforts on the Middle East and Central Asia.
While security concerns remain extremely important, economics and pending immigration reform in the United States will likely dominate the conversation — much as they did during Obama's recent visit to Mexico.
