Peru's New Foreign Minister Seeks Stronger US Ties

Peru just chose a new foreign minister named Carlos Espá.

He used to work at the U.S. Embassy in Lima, so he knows a lot about talking to the United States.

Espá said Peru wants to be closer friends with the U.S. and call it a "strategic partner."

He also said Peru will try to fix its relationships with Mexico, Colombia, and Venezuela.

Espá told people that Peru will join a U.S. program called the Shield of the Americas to help stop bad crime.

The U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, Christopher Landau, came to Peru’s president’s inauguration.

Peru’s president is Keiko Fujimori.

The new foreign minister hopes these moves will make Peru safer and stronger.