Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook provided the following readout:

At the 12th Conference of Defense Ministers of the Americas (CDMA) in Port Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter met with Mexico's Secretary of Defense Gen. Salvador Cienfuegos Zepeda today to discuss the U.S.-Mexico defense relationship. Secretary Carter congratulated Gen. Cienfuegos on Mexico's selection to host the 13th CDMA in 2018. Secretary Carter and General Cienfuegos discussed Mexico's expanding defense and security leadership role in the region and globally. Gen. Cienfuegos thanked the secretary for his commitment and the resulting advances in the bilateral defense relationship. He also expressed Mexico's willingness to support the Central American nations. Secretary Carter thanked Gen.  Cienfuegos for Mexico's increasing contributions to the Inter-American Defense Board, and to advancing the efficacy of the Inter-American Defense System. Secretary Carter and Gen. Cienfuegos noted their support for the North American Defense Ministerial process to address mutual defense challenges to North America.