■ Kamala Harris was visiting Guatemala and Mexico as part of her first foreign trip as vice president.

Corruption also topic on her 1st foreign trip

WASHINGTON — Kamala Harris, on her first foreign trip as vice president, is looking to deepen diplomatic ties with Guatemala and Mexico, two Latin American nations key to the Biden administration’s efforts to stem the spike in migration at the U.S. border.

Harris, who departed Washington on Sunday after a delay caused by a technical issue on Air Force Two, is seeking to secure commitments for greater cooperation on border security and economic investment, but corruption in the region — a far more intractable challenge — will complicate her efforts.

It already has had a significant impact on her work in the region. Harris has yet to engage substantively with the leaders of Honduras and El Salvador, who are both embroiled in corruption scandals. And it’s an issue that experts in the region say will need to be addressed to make any lasting changes.

In the months since she was tasked by President Joe Biden with addressing the causes of migration to the U.s.-mexico border, Harris has laid out an approach centered on creating better opportunities and living conditions in the region through humanitarian and economic aid.

Harris announced plans to send $310 million to provide support for refugees and address food shortages, and recently secured commitments from a dozen companies and organizations to invest in the Northern Triangle countries to promote economic opportunity and job training.

About 30 minutes into Harris’ flight to Guatemala City on Sunday afternoon, a technical issue forced

Air Force Two to return to Joint Base Andrews. She departed on another plane about an hour and a half later.

While in Guatemala, Harris plans to meet community leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs. In Mexico, Harris was set to participate in a conversation with female entrepreneurs and hold a roundtable with labor workers. That’s in addition to bilateral meetings with the leaders of both countries.

Jacquelyn Martin The Associated Press Vice President Kamala Harris, makes a double thumbs up sign toward members of the media Sunday after exiting Air Force Two when a technical issue required the plane to return to Andrews Air Force Base, Md., after taking off for Guatemala City.