The United States has sanctioned seven Central American officials over alleged corruption, the State Department announced on Monday.
“Today we are adding seven perpetrators to the United States’ Undemocratic and Corrupt Actors list, under section 353 of the United States-Northern Triangle Enhanced Engagement Act, which generally makes the perpetrators ineligible for visas and admission to the United States,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.
Blinken stated that the U.S. is committed to supporting residents of northern Central America by bolstering democratic efforts, rule of law, and accountability, claiming that such values are essential for the futures of Central American nations.
In El Salvador, the State Department sanctioned Elsy Duenas de Aviles, Oscar Alberto Lopez Jerez, Hector Nahun Martinez Garcia, Jose Angel Perez Chacon, and Luis Javier Suarez Magana, current magistrates of the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court.
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The State Department accused the magistrates of undermining democratic processes or institutions by accepting direct appointments to the chamber by the Legislative Assembly, a process that appeared to have broken the Salvadoran Constitution.
“The previous five Magistrates were abruptly removed without legitimate cause following the May 1 seating of the newly elected Legislative Assembly,” the department said.
In Guatemala, the U.S. sanctioned Maria Consuelo Porras Argueta de Porres, the current attorney general, who, according to Washington, “obstructed investigations into acts of corruption by interfering with criminal investigations,” the statement added.
The White House announced in April it was considering sanctions and revoking visas for people involved in corruption in the Northern Triangle countries as part of a push to curb the surge of migrants at the southern border.
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Over the weekend, nearly 14,000 migrants crossed the southern border in Del Rio, Texas, consisting of mostly Haitian immigrants.
President Joe Biden’s administration said it would work to deport most of the migrant group this week.
