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        {"code":"25157","sect":"Columnas","sect_slug":"columnas","hits":"2825","link":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/en\/202101\/columnas\/25157","link_edit":"","name":"A New Alliance for Salvadoran Democracy","slug":"a-new-alliance-for-salvadoran-democracy","info":"","mtag":"Politics","noun":{"html":"Mari Carmen Aponte","data":{"mari-carmen-aponte":{"sort":"","slug":"mari-carmen-aponte","path":"mari_carmen_aponte","name":"Mari Carmen Aponte","edge":"0","init":"0"}}},"view":"2825","pict":{"cms-image-000035184-jpg":{"feat":"1","sort":"35184","name":"cms-image-000035184.JPG","link":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/images\/cms-image-000035184.JPG","path":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/images\/cms-image-000035184.JPG","back":"","slug":"cms-image-000035184-jpg","text":"&lt;p&gt;Mari Carmen Aponte is a former U.S. Ambassador to El Salvador and Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere affairs under President Barack Obama. Photo: V\u00edctor Pe\u00f1a\/El Faro&lt;\/p&gt;","capt":"\u003Cp\u003EMari Carmen Aponte is a former U.S. Ambassador to El Salvador and Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere affairs under President Barack Obama. Photo: V\u00edctor Pe\u00f1a\/El Faro\u003C\/p\u003E"},"cms-image-000035185-jpg":{"feat":"0","sort":"35185","name":"cms-image-000035185.JPG","link":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/images\/cms-image-000035185.JPG","path":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/images\/cms-image-000035185.JPG","back":"","slug":"cms-image-000035185-jpg","text":"&lt;p&gt;La secretaria Adjunta en funciones para Asuntos del Hemisferio Occidental y exembajadora de Estados Unidos en El Salvador, Mari Carmen Aponte, ofreci\u00f3 conferencia de prensa en la sede de la Embajada de Estados Unidos, en Santa Elena, Antiguo Cuscatl\u00e1n. La diplom\u00e1tica atendi\u00f3 a los medios de comunicaci\u00f3n durante su visita, en la que ha asistido a las distintas actividades relacionadas con la celebraci\u00f3n de los 25 a\u00f1os de la firma de los Acuerdos de Paz. 17012017\/ Foto El Faro: V\u00edctor Pe\u00f1a&lt;\/p&gt;","capt":"\u003Cp\u003ELa secretaria Adjunta en funciones para Asuntos del Hemisferio Occidental y exembajadora de Estados Unidos en El Salvador, Mari Carmen Aponte, ofreci\u00f3 conferencia de prensa en la sede de la Embajada de Estados Unidos, en Santa Elena, Antiguo Cuscatl\u00e1n. La diplom\u00e1tica atendi\u00f3 a los medios de comunicaci\u00f3n durante su visita, en la que ha asistido a las distintas actividades relacionadas con la celebraci\u00f3n de los 25 a\u00f1os de la firma de los Acuerdos de Paz. 17012017\/ Foto El Faro: V\u00edctor Pe\u00f1a\u003C\/p\u003E"}},"pict_main__sort":35184,"date":{"live":"2021\/01\/19"},"data_post_dateLive_YY":"2021","data_post_dateLive_MM":"01","data_post_dateLive_DD":"19","text":"\u003Cp id=\"docs-internal-guid-1d14f4cb-7fff-9c97-5ce0-66878eb0335e\" dir=\"ltr\"\u003EBeyond the normal events that cause ups and down in relations between the various countries of the world, there is no question that El Salvador has been of particular and immense importance to the United States. Issues of security, trade, development and migration have been central to the bilateral agenda of both countries for decades. In recent years, however, efforts to maintain the core integrity of democracy, as well as the stability of state institutions \u2014 the common denominator connecting the above-mentioned issues \u2014 have been weakened and undermined. This is about to change.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EIf we consider the full scope of our recent shared history, there is no question that the implementation of the Peace Accords following the Salvadoran Civil War has produced important democratic outcomes, including the consolidation of a pluralist constitution, the separation of powers, and a stable electoral process. No one is saying these achievements have been perfect; it is clear that the promise of the Peace Accords has not been fulfilled. Democracy requires the work and involvement of all participants in order to achieve, in the words of the founders of the United States, a \u201cmore perfect union.\u201d This is more evident today than ever, in light of the challenges now faced by the United States, a country long viewed as a model of democracy. And the same is true for Salvadorans, who have remained alert and vigilant in their vigorous defense of the country\u2019s democratic advances.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EBeginning January 20, the United States will join them in that work.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EFortunately, we have already begun to see hopeful signs in recent weeks. Take, for example, the enactment of the \u201cEngel List\u201d in Congress. This was a bipartisan effort, unprecedented in the Americas, to publicly highlight the names of individuals from Northern Triangle countries who are denied entry to the U.S. for acts of corruption, or for undermining democratic institutions in the region. This action, which was backed by both parties of a polarized U.S. Congress, is remarkable and significant. The message is clear and categorical: with regards to the democratic integrity of state institutions in Central America, there is a congressional coalition between Democrats and Republicans in Washington, D.C. that is alert and attentive to the situation.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EThere are similar glimmers of hope in El Salvador as well. We have seen how civil society has worked diligently to strengthen the CICIES-OAS (the International Commission against Impunity in El Salvador, an initiative of the Organization of American States and the Salvadoran government). In alliance with several Salvadoran representatives, legislation was recently proposed that seeks to expand the independence of the CICIES, along with its power to investigate, access information, and collaborate with both civil society and the Attorney General. I have no doubt that the newly inaugurated Biden administration will offer its determined support for this and similar efforts.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EAnd yet, this whole reality coexists alongside another set of forces working to spoil the institutional fruits of the Peace Accords: actions taken by the current Salvadoran administration undermine the rule of law, threaten the separation of powers, and damage institutions that ensure the transparent management of public administrative functions, thus preventing corruption.\u00a0\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EIn a recent \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/espanol\/internacional\/articulo\/2021-01-13\/entrevista-congresista-norma-torres-a-honduras-aguanten-un-poco-viene-un-nuevo-dia-no-solo-para-eeuu\"\u003Einterview with the Los Angeles Times\u003C\/a\u003E, U.S. Representative Norma Torres (D-CA) railed against the governments of the Northern Triangle. She pointed to structural weaknesses especially present in Honduras but which apply similarly to El Salvador. In the same vein, on December 3, 2020, Senator Robert Men\u00e9ndez (D-NJ) sent a strongly-worded letter to Secretary of State Pompeo, urging the former administration to pay more attention to the weakening of democratic governance in El Salvador.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EThese displays of official opinion foreshadow the actions of a House of Representatives in which the Foreign Relations Committee, chaired by Representative Gregory Meeks (D-NY), the analogous Committee in the Senate, chaired by Senator Men\u00e9ndez himself, and the Senate Appropriations Committee \u2014 the committee now chaired by Senator Leahy (D-VT) and charged with approving international aid allocations \u2014 will form a united front dedicated to fighting corruption in the Northern Triangle.\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EIf we add to this equation President Biden\u2019s clear and unequivocal pronouncements against corruption and in support of democracy, the direction of the new administration\u2019s support is indisputable and unequivocal.\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EThis January 20 is an important day for those of us who believe in democracy in the United States and around the world. New priorities, new preferences, and new centers of influence are emerging in both El Salvador and the United States. It brings me great joy to share these new beginnings \u2014 the result of a fair and free electoral process \u2014 with the people of El Salvador, knowing that we will continue to see shared successes, and that these successes will culminate in a democracy wholly invested in the Salvadoran people.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E    \u003Cfigure class=\"pict pict_land pict_move_posc 0 cs_img cs_img--curr rule--ss_c\" data-shot=\"pict\" data-hint=\"pict\"\u003E \u003Cdiv class=\"pict__pobj text-overflow\"\u003E\u003Cimg src=https:\/\/elfaro.net\/get_img?ImageWidth=1200&ImageHeight=800&ImageId=35184 class=\"pobj\" style=\"max-width: 100%\" rel=\"resizable\" alt=\"Mari Carmen Aponte is a former U.S. Ambassador to El Salvador and Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere affairs under President Barack Obama. Photo: V\u00edctor Pe\u00f1a\/El Faro\" \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E \u003Cfigcaption class=\"pict__text cs_img_caption folk_content typo_buttons line--ss_s0c line--ss_s0c--auto block full-width text-overflow rule--ss_l relative\"\u003E \u003Cdiv class=\"__content block-inline full-width align-top tint-text--idle relative\"\u003E Mari Carmen Aponte is a former U.S. Ambassador to El Salvador and Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere affairs under President Barack Obama. Photo: V\u00edctor Pe\u00f1a\/El Faro \u003C\/div\u003E \u003C\/figcaption\u003E \u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003E*Translated by Max Granger\u003C\/p\u003E"}

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