Chairwoman Salazar Demands Answers from Biden Administration Officials for Vindictive Latin America Policy
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-FL-27) chaired a hearing to expose the Biden Administration's alarming and vindictive Latin American foreign policy as Chair of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee. The Biden Administration has been cozying up to dictators while ignoring our allies in the region. The hearing addressed the consequences of the Administration's spiteful approach towards our Latin American neighbors.
“President Joe Biden has taken every opportunity to ignore our allies in Latin America,” said Rep. Salazar. “This budget doesn't reflect reality: Your actions show that you have ignored our allies to the benefit of our enemies.”
As a respected voice in Congress on matters concerning Latin America, Congresswoman Salazar took the lead in unmasking the Biden Administration's treatment of our allies. The hearing witnessed the testimonies of several State Department officials, including:
- Mr. Brian Nichols
- Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, U.S. Department of State
- Mr. Todd Robinson
- Assistant Secretary, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, U.S. Department of State
- Ms. Julieta Valls Noyes
- Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, U.S. Department of State
- Ms. Marcela Escobari
- Assistant Administrator, Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean, U.S. Agency for International Development
During the hearing, Congresswoman Salazar expressed her deep concerns about the Administration's approach, stating, "Ignoring our allies in Latin America is a vacuum that is being filled by China, Russia, and Iran."
Congresswoman Salazar, known for her consistent denunciation of the failed socialist ideology in Latin America and the United States, highlighted the need for a clear and thoughtful approach towards countering Chinese communist influence in Latin America. "Chinese trade with Latin America has exploded from $12 billion in 2000 to almost $500 billion last year, making it their biggest trading partner," she emphasized.
BACKGROUND:
The Biden Administration’s Latin America policy is upside down. Democratic allies have been treated with disdain and adversarial dictatorships have been received with open arms.
Since taking office, President Biden’s foreign policy apparatus has placed numerous sanctions on individuals in friendly countries with zero transparency. Some of these actions include issuing a spurious travel alert on the Dominican Republic justified with baseless accusations of racism, sanctioning the sitting Vice President of Paraguay months before a presidential election, and sanctioning dozens of Central American politicians for evidently political reasons.
At the same time, the Biden Administration has embraced socialist adversaries in Cuba and Venezuela and excused their long standing human rights abuses.
You can view the full hearing here. For more information, visit Salazar.house.gov.
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