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El Salvador’s Former Attorney General Has Congress A Bit Spooked

REUTERS

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JP Carroll National Security & Foreign Affairs Reporter
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Six members of Congress wrote to El Salvador’s congressional president urging her to not reappoint a cartel-affiliated former attorney general. Luis Martinez’s term expired Dec. 3 and he is running for reelection.

El Salvador’s attorney general is not an elected official but is instead picked by the National Congress after being nominated by civil society organizations. Considering the amount of aid money given by the U.S. to El Salvador annually, this congressional letter can greatly sway the outcome of the race. The congressional letter specifically cites an aid package that is being drawn up to assist the country.

Martinez has been accused recently of bungling what could have been a strong case against Texis Cartel leader Jose Adan Salazar Umaña who goes by “Chepe Diablo” or Joe Devil. Chepe Diablo was being charged with money laundering and tax evasion. Martinez was accused of corruption and having intentionally derailed the case against Chepe Diablo.

The six members of Congress that signed the letter are all Democrats: [crscore]Eliot Engel[/crscore], [crscore]Gregory Meeks[/crscore], [crscore]Albio Sires[/crscore], [crscore]Jim McGovern[/crscore], [crscore]Norma Torres[/crscore], and [crscore]Sam Farr[/crscore]. The letter was sent Nov. 23 before Martinez’s term in office came to an end.

El Salvador has had a great deal of unrest recently due to corruption as well as cartel and gang violence. The difficult security situation in El Salvador has caused many to attempt to get to the U.S. by first entering Mexico through its southern border. Twenty-five Salvadoran and Honduran migrants were held by authorities in Mexico for attempting to cross the country’s border.

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