This was announced by Ricardo Ziga, who said that Joe Biden’s government was “proud” to support the struggle in El Salvador.
The United States has dedicated more resources to the war on the misuse of public resources, as it continues to recognize the struggle against rhetoric and corruption as its priority.
On Wednesday, Joe Biden’s special envoy to the Northern Triangle, Ricardo Zika, announced that the United States would allocate $ 2 million to the International Commission against Penalty (CICES) in El Salvador.
“The United States is proud to support CICIES and the Office of the Attorney General and to donate more than $ 2 million. This is part of our commitment. The United States is going with them in this fight,” JICA said.
Continue reading: Ambassador from Biden to the Northern Triangle meets with the Attorney General and the President of CICIES in El Salvador
The ambassador explained that this contribution was part of the United States’ commitment to strengthening the institutional structure of Salvador responsible for combating the misuse of public resources or diverting these for “selfish” interests.
Attorney General Raul Melara thanked the United States for supporting CICIES. Photo: EDH / Yessica Hompanera
In addition, JICA noted that the United States has learned one lesson from Guatemala (CICIG) and Honduras (aims to support the fight against corruption and impunity in Honduras, Messi). To function, it must cooperate strongly with the prosecutor’s office and have the support of the country’s political class.
In Honduras and Guatemala, the commissions were destroyed by the relentless siege of the political and business elite threatened by the meager support of governments or the fight against corruption.
Therefore, in El Salvador, in addition to financial autonomy, departments of civil society are demanding that CICIES be given more independence from the executive by approving the agreement of its structure in the legislature and giving it more “teeth”. Ability to prosecute in corruption cases.
This was one of the points in support of the Commission in Guatemala, which teamed up with the local attorney general’s office to unravel the network of customs fraud led by then-President Otto Perez.
Attorney General Raul Melara thanked the United States for supporting CICIES and said the role of the North American nation in the fight against corruption was fundamental.
He also expressed satisfaction with the joint work with the Commission. “This effort and commitment by the U.S. government today to strengthen CICIES is important because it will indirectly allow the prosecutor’s office to continue to investigate,” Raul Melara said.
He sent 12 notices of possible offenses in 5 state portfolios to the prosecutor’s office, although he did not describe the cases or the companies.
Attending the bilateral meeting, Attorney General Raul Melara said, “The rulers and the entire political class need to be committed to providing the tools to fight corruption and punishment.”
JICA’s meeting in El Salvador comes at the end of a two – day visit to Guatemala, where he met with President Alejandro Chiamate and a number of cabinet members. There, he stressed that the rule of law and democratic rule were the central axes of Joe Biden’s policy towards the region.
