Salazar Questions Top Biden State Department Officials on El Salvador, Cuba, and Guatemala
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Western Hemisphere Subcommittee Chairwoman María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) questioned senior State Department officials on the Biden Administration’s inconsistent Latin America policy at a hearing hosted by the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
The Biden Administration must answer for its confusing policies towards our friends and enemies in the Western Hemisphere, including opening up the U.S. banking system to supposedly “independent” Cuban entrepreneurs, and intervening in the affairs of the Guatemalan Attorney General’s office.
As Chairwoman of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Salazar has repeatedly sounded the alarm on the growing danger our enemies pose in Latin America.
Chairwoman Salazar began her line of questioning by pressing the State Department’s Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Brian Nichols, on El Salvador. She lauded President Nayib Bukele’s law and order program to change El Salvador from the murder capital of the world to one of the safest nations in the Western Hemisphere and pressed Nichols on the Biden Administration’s policy towards the country. The Biden Administration conceded that the “Bukele model” has been a success.
Salazar then asked Nichols about the Biden Administration’s Cuba policy. The latest regulatory changes from the Administration allow for the possibility of regime-propped “independent small businesses” to launder money through U.S. banks to our enemies abroad. Nichols insisted that the changes are compliant with existing law and that “Know Your Customer” (KYC) measures at American banks are enough to prevent money laundering from happening. However, this does not make sense because these “U-turn” transactions are between two parties outside the U.S. and banks will not have to keep KYC files on the money coming from Cuba. Salazar reminded Nichols and the Biden Administration that good intentions are not enough.
Salazar reminded Nichols and the Biden Administration that good intentions are not enough. The United States cannot deal with a regime that doesn’t care about the well-being of its citizens lightly.
Chairwoman Salazar ended her questioning by asking Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Todd Robinson about the State Department’s crusade against Guatemalan Attorney General Consuelo Porras. Rep. Salazar asked Robinson, who previously served as U.S. Ambassador to Guatemala, about the Biden Administration’s decision to sanction Porras. He responded with vague charges of undermining democracy. Salazar responded that other leaders in Latin America have done the same thing, with no consequence.
To watch the Chairwoman’s full line of questioning, click here.
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