U.S. Senator recommends suspension of FTA with El Salvador and Nicaragua

Menendez, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, was critical of many of the decisions of the Salvador government, especially after May 1.

Following the dismissal of the Supreme Court’s Constituent Assembly (CSJ), the influential Democrat called on Biden to condition the funding provided to El Salvador by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

At the beginning of the panel session, Menendez promised that there would be a “surgical removal of the justice system” to promote President Naib Boukel’s “authoritarian agenda” in El Salvador.

We have seen the judicial removal of the judiciary in El Salvador, with President Buchel “turning off the wheels” in his dictatorial plan. Bob Menendez, U.S. Senator

During his speech, the Undersecretary of State added that “the Bukhel administration has taken a series of worrying steps that undermine democratic principles and respect for institutions.”

What did the State Department respond to?

At the senator’s urging, Nichols’s undersecretary of state responded that the Biden administration should “think about all the tools we have” and that there was a “urgency” from Washington to show countries that “actions have consequences.” . “

Actions must have consequences, those countries must have their own constitution, the ability to uphold their own laws, and there is an urgency for regional countries to prove that the abuse of their citizens is a major problem, so we must take that into account. All tools “. Brian A. Nichols, Undersecretary for the Western Hemisphere.

Menendez stressed that one of the “best tools” the US government has is to “eliminate trade options,” especially CAFTA-DR, which was “not signed with countries moving away from democracy, but with countries advancing towards democracy.” , Towards respect for human rights, towards the rule of law “.

(Nicaragua and El Salvador) should not take advantage of these options when they go in the opposite direction, which is a strong step that management can take, and I recommend them. ” Bob Menendez, U.S. Senator

This is not the first time CAFTA-DR has been nominated as a campaign tool in Washington. Mari Carmen Aponte, the former US ambassador to El Salvador, had already recommended to members of Congress to respect the move.