While on his trip to Latin America, United States Vice President Joe Biden told a Colombian newspaper that he wants countries in the region to take in prisoners from Guantánamo Bay so the military prison can be closed more quickly.

This week, Biden has been touring Latin America to see the World Cup, as well as discuss the large number of unaccompanied Central American children crossing the Mexico-U.S. border into the U.S. illegally. According to Yahoo News, he also took time to tell El Espectador, a Colombian newspaper, that closing Guantánamo Bay, which former president George W. Bush opened in Cuba after 9/11, was one of the U.S.' top priorities.

"One of the fastest ways to accelerate the closure of Guantanamo is for other countries to agree, in a responsible manner, to receive detainees," Biden said.

According to Yahoo News, the transferring of prisoners out of the detention camp that President Barack Obama has promised to close has increased recently. The U.S. wants to send these prisoners to other countries because many of them are deemed too dangerous to come back to the U.S. or would be in danger themselves upon returning.

Uruguay took in five prisoners this year, and Bogota said they would consider taking prisoners in March. There are reportedly 149 detainees left in the prison.

On Wednesday. Biden met with recently re-elected Colombia President Juan Manuel Santos for over two hours, Fox News Latino reports.

"In war and in peace, Mr. President, we stand with Colombia," Biden told Santos at the Colombian presidential palace in front of reporters.

Colombia has been in conflict for about 50 years with leftist group Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Santos said he was "very honored to be a strategic partner of the United States." Biden said that Colombia has the U.S.' complete support once a peace accord is signed.

"I know there's a lot left to do, and I have absolute confidence in your determination," the vice president said.
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Follow Scharon Harding on Twitter: @ScharHar.

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