[House Hearing, 117 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATIONS POLICY
PRIORITIES FOR LATIN AMERICA
AND THE CARIBBEAN
=======================================================================
HEARING
BEFORE THE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON
WESTERN HEMISPHERE, CIVILIAN SECURITY,
MIGRATION AND INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC POLICY
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
__________
November 16, 2021
__________
Serial No. 117-90
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Foreign Affairs
[GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Available: http://www.foreignaffairs.house.gov/, http://docs.house.gov,
or http://www.govinfo.gov
__________
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
46-093 PDF WASHINGTON : 2022
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
GREGORY W. MEEKS, New York, Chairman
BRAD SHERMAN, California MICHAEL T. McCAUL, Texas, Ranking
ALBIO SIRES, New Jersey Member
GERALD E. CONNOLLY, Virginia CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey
THEODORE E. DEUTCH, Florida STEVE CHABOT, Ohio
KAREN BASS, California SCOTT PERRY, Pennsylvania
WILLIAM KEATING, Massachusetts DARRELL ISSA, California
DAVID CICILLINE, Rhode Island ADAM KINZINGER, Illinois
AMI BERA, California LEE ZELDIN, New York
JOAQUIN CASTRO, Texas ANN WAGNER, Missouri
DINA TITUS, Nevada BRIAN MAST, Florida
TED LIEU, California BRIAN FITZPATRICK, Pennsylvania
SUSAN WILD, Pennsylvania KEN BUCK, Colorado
DEAN PHILLIPS, Minnesota TIM BURCHETT, Tennessee
ILHAN OMAR, Minnesota MARK GREEN, Tennessee
COLIN ALLRED, Texas ANDY BARR, Kentucky
ANDY LEVIN, Michigan GREG STEUBE, Florida
ABIGAIL SPANBERGER, Virginia DAN MEUSER, Pennsylvania
CHRISSY HOULAHAN, Pennsylvania AUGUST PFLUGER, Texas
TOM MALINOWSKI, New Jersey PETER MEIJER, Michigan
ANDY KIM, New Jersey NICOLE MALLIOTAKIS, New York
SARA JACOBS, California RONNY JACKSON, Texas
KATHY MANNING, North Carolina YOUNG KIM, California
JIM COSTA, California MARIA ELVIRA SALAZAR, Florida
JUAN VARGAS, California JOE WILSON, South Carolina
VICENTE GONZALEZ, Texas
BRAD SCHNEIDER, Illinois
Sophia Lafargue, Staff Director
Brendan Shields, Republican Staff Director
Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Civilian Security, Migration and
International Economic Policy
ALBIO SIRES, New Jersey, Chairman
JOAQUIN CASTRO, Texas MARK GREEN, Tennessee, Ranking
ANDY LEVIN, Michigan Member
VICENTE GONZALEZ, Texas AUGUST PFLUGER, Texas
JUAN VARGAS, California MARIA ELVIRA SALAZAR, Florida
C O N T E N T S
----------
Page
WITNESS
Nichols, The Honorable Brian, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of
Western Hemisphere Affairs, U.S. Department of State........... 8
APPENDIX
Hearing Notice................................................... 25
Hearing Minutes.................................................. 26
Hearing Attendance............................................... 27
OPENING STATEMENT
Opening statement submitted for the record from Chairman Sires... 28
RESEPONSES TO QUESTIONS SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD
Responses to questions submitted for the record.................. 31
THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATIONS POLICY
PRIORITIES FOR LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
Tuesday, November 16, 2021
House of Representatives,
Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Civilian
Security,
Migration, and International Economic Policy,
Committee on Foreign Affairs,
Washington, DC.
The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 2:03 p.m., in
room 2172, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Albio Sires
(chairman of the subcommittee) presiding.
Mr. Sires. Good afternoon, everyone.
Thank you to our witness for being here today.
This hearing, entitled ``the Biden Administration's Policy
Priorities for Latin America and the Caribbean,'' will come to
order.
Without objection, the chair is authorized to declare a
recess of the committee at any point, and all members will have
5 days to submit statements, extraneous materials, and
questions for the record, subject to the length limitation in
the rules. To insert something in the record, please have your
staff email the previously mentioned address and contact
subcommittee staff.
As a reminder to members joining remotely, please keep your
video function on at all times, even when you are not
recognized by the chair.
Members are responsible for muting and unmuting themselves,
and please remember to mute yourself after you finish speaking.
Consistent with H. Res. 8 and accompanying regulations, staff
will only mute members and witnesses as appropriate when they
are not under recognition to eliminate background noise.
I see that we have a quorum, and I now recognize myself for
opening remarks.
I want to begin by congratulating you, Assistant Secretary
Nichols, on your confirmation. I know you come to this role
with a great deal of experience in the region and an impressive
depth of knowledge about the challenges we face. I am confident
that our policy toward Latin America and the Caribbean is in
good hands.
As we all know, it is a turbulent time for the Western
Hemisphere. This region has been hit harder by the COVID-19
pandemic than anywhere else in the world. With Daniel Ortega's
coronation ceremony last week, there is no doubt that we are
dealing with three fully consolidated dictatorships in Latin
America and the Caribbean. While these regimes in Cuba,
Venezuela, and Nicaragua tighten their grip on power, in other
countries, like Guatemala and El Salvador, we are seeing major
setbacks to judicial independence, the fight against
corruption, and the rule of law.
In my view, the Biden Administration came into office with
the right approach, to elevate Central America as a strategic
priority and renew our focus on addressing the root causes of
migrations. Unfortunately, we have seen in the last 10 months
that there are limitations to what we can achieve when we lack
reliable government partners. For this reason, the newly
announced effort of the Administration to focus on assistance
and supporting local organizations in Central America is a
positive and important step.
Despite the serious challenges confronting the region, I
also see many opportunities for greater engagement. In this
sense, I applaud the Biden Administration's budget request,
which would increase our funding for Latin America and the
Caribbean by over 15 percent to the highest level in more than
a decade.
I also commend this Administration for donating over 50
million vaccine doses to the region. While I was frustrated
that we could not take action sooner to deliver the vaccine,
this is still a major accomplishment that demonstrates our
collective commitment to our friends in Latin America and the
Caribbean.
The next step will be supporting the region's economic
recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. I traveled to the
Dominican Republic with my ranking member, Member Green, in
September. The government there is making progress in reforming
the police and fighting corruption. Like most countries in the
region, they want our support for their economic recovery. I
hope we can discuss today how we can spur greater investment
and strengthen supply chains in the Western Hemisphere.
As we think about how to compete effectively with China, we
need to use our competitive advantage. This means tapping into
our innovative private sector and deepening our network of
alliances. Simply criticizing countries for doing business with
China will not get us very far. We need to be at the table,
offering credible solutions and providing serious alternatives.
We should also use our convening power to bring governments
together to address challenges that transcend borders, such as
the impact of climate change and increased migration from South
America through the Darien Gap.
Ultimately, our commitment to democracy and human rights
should be the backbone of everything we do. We must be
consistent in standing up for these values across the region.
In Honduras' upcoming elections, we should work closely
with our partners to ensure the international community speaks
with one voice that is informed by the assessment of the OAS
and the EU election observers. I am deeply concerned by the
pre-election violence we are seeing there.
In Haiti, we are witnessing the complete deterioration of
the State. The U.S. must engage Haitian civil society and
support Haitian-led efforts to restore peace, security, and
human dignity.
In Cuba, the Biden Administration and bipartisan Members of
Congress have taken a firm stand in defense of universal human
rights, but, as we saw again yesterday, the regime is doubling
down on its repression. We need to do more to expand internet
access, end the exploitation of Cuban medical workers, and
unite international allies behind Cubans' demand for freedom
and self-determination.
As for Nicaragua, I look forward to seeing how we can work
with the Administration to implement the recently passed
RENACER Act and coordinate our action with allies in Latin
America and the European Union to further restrict
international financing to the Ortega regime.
We must never lose sight of the continued political and
humanitarian crisis in Venezuela and the impact it is having on
Colombia and other allies throughout the region. Maduro's
crimes against humanity should never be normalized.
The landscape across the region is challenging, but if we
want to advance a more prosperous, sustainable, and democratic
future for this hemisphere, we must begin by establishing Latin
America and the Caribbean as a priority for U.S. foreign
policy.
Thank you.
And I now turn to the ranking member, Mark Green, for his
opening statement.
Mr. Green. Thank you, Chairman Sires, for holding the
hearing, and it is great to see you again.
Thank you, Assistant Secretary Nichols, for testifying
today, and it is great to meet you as well.
For too long, Congress has overlooked the Western
Hemisphere, a region critical to the economic growth and
national security of the United States. As ranking member, and
I think I can say on behalf of the chairman as well, of this
subcommittee, it is our top priority to refocus U.S. public
policy on this important region.
America faces many challenges in the Western Hemisphere
that have to be addressed. Illegal migration is one particular
problem. Recently released data shows that the U.S. Customs and
Border Protection detained more than 1.7 million migrants along
our southern border in Fiscal Year 2021, a record high.
There is no easy fix to this challenge. On the one hand, we
have to reduce the pull factors--for example, President Biden's
egregious proposal to pay certain illegal immigrants $450,000
each, which will only further encourage migrants to make the
dangerous journey north. But we also need to address the root
causes of migration, such as a lack of economic opportunity,
rampant corruption, and significant levels of crime.
Mexico is a key ally with whom we must work to address
these issues. And I would like to hear more from the
Administration about the status of our security cooperation
between the United States and Mexico, considering the recent
record levels of illegal migration as well as a record level of
fentanyl coming into the United States.
I understand the Administration is trying to find new ways
to stop the criminal cartels that are trafficking in fentanyl,
cocaine, and other drugs. The status quo, though, is not
acceptable to the committee and likely not to you either. I
believe one of the solutions is not more handouts or foreign
aid but trade.
Assistant Secretary, I look forward to working with you on
improving the business environment and finding near-shoring
opportunities to reduce the flow of illegal migrants into the
United States. I have spoken with many businessmen who are
dying to invest in Latin America but are hesitant due to crime
and corruption as well as a patchwork of confusing trade
regulations.
Another challenge the United States faces in the region is
despotic regimes that trample on the rights of their own
people. Cuba, Venezuela, and now Nicaragua are particularly
egregious offenders.
For over 60 years, Cubans have been held hostage by a
tyrannical dictatorship. The Communists have bankrupted a
beautiful country, condemning three generations to misery and
separating countless families. I have been encouraged to see
Cubans rise up in protest against the regime in recent months,
and I was proud to support a bipartisan resolution 2 weeks ago
in support of the Cuban people.
I am also deeply concerned about the nine Americans
unlawfully detained by the Maduro regime, one of them being
from Tennessee, Matthew Heath. I recently met with the
relatives of Tomeu Vadell, one of the CITGO Six oil executives
also unlawfully detained by the Maduro regime. My heart breaks
for his wife and daughters, who later this month will mark 4
years separated from their husband and their father. We need to
know more about what the Administration is doing to bring home
Mr. Vadell and the other Americans unlawfully incarcerated.
Additionally, Nicaragua is now Latin America's third
Socialist dictatorship. The recent so-called elections were a
farce. Make no mistake, Daniel Ortega is a dictator and an
illegitimate President. My colleagues and I were proud to
support the bipartisan RENACER Act to hold the Ortega regime
accountable and increase pressure on corrupt regime officials
who dismantled their country's democracy.
The U.S. also faces the growing challenge of malign Chinese
influence in the region. The Chinese Communist Party has been
working furiously to buy off our neighbors in Latin America
through its Belt and Road Initiative. However, partnering with
Beijing always comes with strings attached.
Over the past decade, countries in the Western Hemisphere
have outsourced much of their manufacturing to China. While
Latin American currencies increased in value because of the
China commodities boom, many of these same countries chose to
purchase relatively cheaper Chinese goods, leading to less
demand for and a drying up of their own manufacturing base.
This has led to an increase in unemployment and an over-
reliance on Chinese-manufactured goods.
I am working on a bill that will prioritize moving critical
parts of our supply chain out of China and back to the Western
Hemisphere, among our allies and partners. Not only will this
bill help confront the rise of China in the region, but it will
also increase economic opportunities and reduce some of the
push factors leading to illegal migration. It is a win for the
United States, and it is a win for Latin America.
Thank you again, Chairman Sires, for holding this hearing,
and I look forward to hearing from our witness.
I yield back.
Mr. Sires. Thank you very much, Ranking Member Green.
I will now introduce the Honorable Brian A. Nichols,
Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs.
Mr. Nichols is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service,
with over 30 years of experience in the State Department.
Assistant Secretary Nichols has served as the U.S.
Ambassador to the Republic of Zimbabwe from 2018 to 2021 and as
U.S. Ambassador to Peru from 2014 to 2017. He has also held
high-level positions in the Bureau of International Narcotics
and Law Enforcement Affairs, the Office of Caribbean Affairs,
and the U.S. Embassy in Colombia.
Assistant Secretary Nichols has earned 24 awards during his
diplomatic career, including 2 Presidential Meritorious Service
Awards and the 2016 Charles E. Cobb, Jr. Award for Initiative
and Success in Trade Development.
Mr. Nichols, we thank you for your distinguished service,
and we welcome you to the hearing.
I ask the witness to please limit your testimony to 5
minutes, and, without objection, your prepared written
statement will be made part of the record.
Mr. Nichols, you are recognized for your testimony.
STATEMENT OF THE HONORABLE BRIAN NICHOLS, ASSISTANT SECRETARY,
BUREAU OF WESTERN HEMISPHERE AFFAIRS, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Mr. Nichols. Chairman Sires, Ranking Member Green, thank
you for the opportunity to testify regarding our efforts to
advance the President's and the Secretary's agenda in the
Western Hemisphere.
The President and the Secretary deeply value the Western
Hemisphere's central role in the welfare of the United States
and understand that we cannot separate our country's fortunes
from that of our closest neighbors. This Administration seeks
to promote a more inclusive, green, secure, prosperous, and
democratic hemisphere, aligned with U.S. values and interests.
In my first week in this job, I joined the Secretary,
Deputy Secretary, and Under Secretary for Political Affairs,
along with other principals, at the United Nations General
Assembly for over 20 engagements with Western Hemisphere
leaders.
During my first two months as Assistant Secretary, I
visited Haiti, Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia, and Canada and met
with diaspora communities in Miami and New York to advance
these priorities.
Today, I want to share with you our efforts to help the
Haitian people with the ongoing crisis in their country;
address irregular migration and its root causes; bolster the
hemisphere's commitment to inclusive democracy; promote public
health and economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic,
including through the Administration's Build Back Better World
initiative; and work with partners to promote democracy in
Nicaragua, Cuba, and Venezuela.
Haiti struggles with political, humanitarian, and
stabilization turmoil, compounded by the July 7th assassination
of President Jovenel Moise and the August 14th earthquake.
NSC Senior Director Juan Gonzalez and I traveled to Miami
and Haiti September 30th to October 1st, Under Secretary for
Civilian Security Uzra Zeya visited Haiti on October 12th and
13th, and Assistant Secretary for International Narcotics and
Law Enforcement Todd Robinson traveled to Haiti November 8th to
10th to underscore the Administration's commitment to the
Haitian people.
In our meetings with the Haitian diaspora, civil society,
political actors, and Prime Minister Ariel Henry, we encouraged
the Haitian people to find their own solutions and chart a
broad and inclusive resolution to the current political
impasse. We expressed our concerns about Haiti's security
situation, noting stakeholders' view that insecurity would not
allow for democratic elections this year.
The Haitian people will determine a timeline for their
elections, but we work now to support conditions for free and
fair elections, including responding to the Haitian
Government's requests to help restore security and address gang
violence. In addition to our previously planned assistance, we
will provide an additional $15 million to help build Haitian
National Police capacity to combat gangs, expand community
policing efforts, upgrade corrections facilities, and provide
necessary security equipment.
The kidnapping by a Haitian gang of 16 Americans and 1
Canadian serving with Christian Aid Ministries tragically
illustrated Haiti's problematic security situation. The
Department has no greater priority than the safety and welfare
of U.S. citizens abroad. We sent additional personnel and
resources to Haiti to support efforts to return these U.S.
citizens to safety.
Haiti's crises contributed to the complex dynamic of
migratory flows in the Americas. We have broadened our efforts
to address irregular migration throughout the hemisphere.
The President's February 2nd executive order directed a new
and comprehensive approach to address regional migration. As
part of that approach, the State Department implements aspects
of the Administration's Root Causes Strategy and the
Collaborative Migration Management Strategy. We impress upon
countries the region's shared responsibility to address the
issue collaboratively.
The Secretary and Administrator Power met on September 24th
with Mexican and Central American Foreign Ministers in New York
to discuss regional migration.
The Secretary and I, on October 20th, joined Ministers and
counterparts from more than a dozen hemispheric partners in
Bogota. We explored coordinated regional approaches to address
irregular migration challenges and specific steps countries can
take to address its root causes. Our partners concurred we need
a regional response and stressed their contributions would
differ depending on their circumstances as a source, transit,
or destination country.
We appreciate the efforts of countries such as Colombia,
Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, and Chile in accepting large numbers of
migrants. We continue to work with Brazil and Chile to accept
the return of Haitians with prior status in those countries.
We will work together to expand legal pathways for workers
within the region to create inclusive economic opportunities in
their countries of origin or long-term residence. We will
strengthen law enforcement to dismantle trafficking networks
and build on efforts to make it easier for migrants to return
to their countries of prior residence and encourage removals
for those ineligible for protection.
Each partner will concentrate on immediate efforts, with
the long-term objective of crafting a stable, prosperous, and
democratic future for their citizens and residents.
As the Secretary said in his October 20th remarks in
Ecuador, we find ourselves in a moment of democratic reckoning
in the hemisphere and around the world. All of us who believe
our shared future depends on the survival of democracy must
ask, as the Secretary put it: What can we do to make
democracies deliver on the issues that matter most to our
people?
In a region where 70 percent of citizens express
dissatisfaction about how democracy works, we must combat
corruption, enhance civilian security, and address the economic
and social challenges facing the region's citizens to close the
gap between democracy's promise and the reality.
We work with partners to hold corrupt individuals and
groups accountable, including through the new tool Congress
created to fight corruption in northern Central America_the
Section 353 Corrupt and Undemocratic Actors List. We named over
50 corrupt actors in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras to
the list in a public display of accountability.
As host of the Ninth Summit of the Americas, we will uphold
and expand upon our commitment to fight corruption; focus
government, civil society, and the private sector on working
together to increase inclusion, transparency, and
accountability in government; and bolster and defend our
democratic institutions.
To enhance civilian security, the United States invests
billions of dollars globally to reduce violence and combat
transnational criminal organizations. However, as the Secretary
noted in his October 20th remarks in Quito, we need to pay more
attention to addressing root causes of insecurity in our
hemisphere.
I joined Secretary Blinken, DHS Secretary Mayorkas, and
Attorney General Garland at the October 8th High-Level Security
Dialogue with Mexico, where our two governments adopted a new
Bicentennial Framework based on partnership and shared
responsibility for the safety and security of our two
countries.
The Secretary took a similar comprehensive and integrated
approach at the October 21st U.S.-Colombia High-Level Dialogue.
In the interest of time, I will conclude my remarks there
but submit the rest for the record, and I look forward to
answering you and your colleagues' questions.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Nichols follows:]
[GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Mr. Sires. Thank you.
We will now turn to questions.
Secretary Nichols, let's talk a little bit about human
rights in Cuba. Yesterday, we saw the Cuban regime once again
stifle free expression and association by prohibiting peaceful
protests and blocking activists and journalists from leaving
their homes.
How will the U.S. respond to the latest repressive action
taken by the Cuban regime? And what more do you need and what
more can we do to defend human rights for the Cuban people?
And the second part of that question is, what progress has
the Administration made since July in expanding internet access
on the island and supporting efforts to circumvent the
restrictions imposed by the regime?
Mr. Nichols. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Just to review events around what happened yesterday, it is
a clear sign of the Cuban regime's fear of its own people's
voice and its attempts to repress their legitimate desires for
democracy and to set their own future. Cuban authorities
arrested, blockaded, hospitalized, and detained activists from
around the island, and they attempted to block internet access
for certain individuals as well as networks in specific areas.
Since the events in July, we have had four rounds of
sanctions on those Cuban authorities who were responsible for
the repression and abuse of their citizens, and we continue to
look for opportunities to send concrete demonstrations of
support for the Cuban people.
I think, as we look to the future, we need to continue to
engage and support the Cuban people in their efforts to achieve
democracy and freedom.
Mr. Sires. Thank you.
You know, I was very upset last month when I saw that
Nicaragua received $340 million. I just wonder--the
International Monetary Fund gave them this money. Do we have
any way of tracking what they do and just having a little say
on some of this money?
I mean, obviously, they said that the money was going to
vaccinate the people of Nicaragua. Well, the vaccination rate
in Nicaragua is only 12 percent.
So how do we influence the Monetary Fund to open their eyes
and say, listen, $340 million is a lot of money and these
people are not using it for the right thing? So how do we do
that?
Mr. Nichols. So, Mr. Chairman, the special drawing rights
have to be converted into a usable currency. I have not seen
any indication that the Nicaraguan authorities have yet
converted the special drawing rights that they received from
the IMF into an actual currency they can use to spend on
something.
I think, as part of the RENACER Act, we should be looking
for opportunities to prevent Nicaragua from obtaining resources
from international financial institutions, when those funds
would inevitably go to their corrupt government.
So I think we need to be very vigilant in that area, and I
look forward to working with my colleagues in the Treasury
Department who oversee our relations with the international
financial institutions to achieve that goal.
Mr. Sires. And my last question is, how can we help
Colombia deal with the 2 million Venezuelan migrants and
refugees that are in Colombia now?
Mr. Nichols. So, through our Bureau of Population,
Refugees, and Migration, as well as the U.S. Agency for
International Development, we have provided over $740 million
in assistance since 2017 to support Colombia's integration of
the Venezuelan migrants.
We were in Colombia in October, and President Duque talked
about his extension of temporary protected status to Venezuelan
migrants there.
We continue to work through organizations like the
International Organization for Migration and UNHCR to ensure
that the international community responds in support of
Venezuelan migrants in Colombia as well as other parts of South
America where there are also large communities of Venezuelan
migrants, like Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Brazil, are also receiving
the assistance they need. We coordinate throughout our
hemisphere to support the necessary structures to help
migration flow in a better and more regulated way.
Mr. Sires. Thank you.
Now I will turn over the questions to Ranking Member Green.
Mr. Green. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Secretary, on the kidnapped missionaries in Haiti,
State has not given us an update in over 3 weeks. And that
includes the offices who represent those individuals.
Could you get us an update on the missionaries, the status,
what is going on, delivered either to HFAC or, at a minimum, to
the offices that represent those people?
Mr. Nichols. Yes, Ranking Member Green. We have held
several briefings in the past, and we are happy to brief again.
Mr. Green. Well, just a status update is what we need. You
know, if we know where they are being held, et cetera, things
like that, that would be very--we have to go back and reassure
these people that we are doing something, you know, the
families in these areas. So, if you could do that, that would
be great.
My next question: You know, Fiscal Year 2021 ended with an
all-time high, 1.7 million apprehensions at the U.S. southern
border. Our regional partners are also seeing massive levels of
migration.
Can you provide a concrete example, just one, a single
concrete example, where the Biden Administration's strategy to
address the root causes of migration has actually decreased
migrant flows?
Mr. Nichols. I believe we have been successful in
decreasing migrant flows----
Mr. Green. Can you give me one example?
Mr. Nichols. So, for example, in Guatemala, the centers
that we have that address concerns of people thinking to
migrate, I think that has diverted people out of----
Mr. Green. So it would be worse than it is had you not done
that? Is that what you are saying?
Mr. Nichols. Yes.
Mr. Green. Because it has not decreased, right? So I was
just looking for maybe an example of where it had decreased,
the number, you had seen a decrease in migration. You do not
have--do you have one?
Mr. Nichols. So there are programs throughout the
hemisphere. Mexico, for example, has been very cooperative and
responsive in trying to manage the migration----
Mr. Green. But I guess I am looking--and I hate to keep
interrupting you, but I do not need--I am just looking for an
example where--can you cite a difference that has been made of
where there has been a decrease? Has there anywhere in the
region been a decrease in migration since you guys have taken
control?
Mr. Nichols. Migration levels are at elevated levels
throughout the hemisphere----
Mr. Green. So the answer would be no, I guess.
Let me move on to another question, if I could.
I was recently in Brazil with President Bolsonaro and
continue to be impressed by how the Brazilian Government wants
to align agendas with the United States. We have not seen this
sense of like-mindedness in a Brazilian Administration for some
time. Congress and the Administration need to support U.S.
investors' ability to invest in Brazil and do more to support
Brazil's entrance into the OECD.
Also while I was there, we got a briefing on their Navy.
The opportunities for cooperation between our two countries in
that regard, particularly as it relates to the South Atlantic,
are great opportunities.
How are you capitalizing on our joint priorities to advance
strategic and U.S. interests with Brazil?
Mr. Nichols. We have a close and broad relationship with
Brazil. While I was at the U.N. General Assembly, I accompanied
Secretary Blinken for a meeting with Foreign Secretary Franca.
Also, Jake Sullivan, the National Security Advisor, met with
his counterpart, Admiral Rocha.
Actually, on Friday, I will be having lunch with the
Brazilian ambassador, and we are going to talk about these
issues. We look forward to continued high-level exchanges with
Brazil on a----
Mr. Green. Do you think----
Mr. Nichols [continuing]. Full range of issues.
Mr. Green. Again, I hate to interrupt you, but we have such
little time. Will we support their entrance into OECD?
Mr. Nichols. Well, we are certainly working on that. There
are a number of factors in play. But we believe that Brazil
plays an important role, both regionally and globally, and we
want to encourage them to continue to play a positive role--for
example, what they did at COP26.
Mr. Green. Would you do me a favor and just, in writing,
send those factors that are in play so that we can better
understand it?
Mr. Green. I have just a little bit of time left, so one
more question.
The ongoing pandemic has obviously exposed fault lines in
our supply chain for essential equipment, life-saving drugs, et
cetera. I am working on the bill that you and I spoke about on
the phone and would love to provide you a copy of the
legislation as it is, you know, being worked on.
The special appointee to the Northern Triangle, Mr. Zuniga
at the time--I think he has since been promoted;
congratulations to him, but--looked at it and reviewed it. I
would like to get your eyes on it and get the promise of some
assistance.
I really want this to be a bipartisan effort. I know many
of the Democrats have reached out to me to be a part of this,
so I would just like to get your assurance that we can work
together on that.
Mr. Nichols. Absolutely.
Mr. Green. Thank you.
Mr. Sires. Thank you, Congressman Green.
We now turn to Congressman Castro for questions.
Mr. Castro. Thank you, Chairman.
And thank you, Assistant Secretary, for being here and for
your testimony. Congratulations on your confirmation. We are
glad that you got through despite the holdup on many
confirmations in the Senate.
the Biden Administration has prioritized addressing the
root causes of migration, particularly in Central American
countries.
And there have been multiple reports of groups of migrants,
largely composed of young women and children, being threatened,
beaten, dragged, and chased by Mexican security forces. And I
fear that the Mexican Government is undertaking these actions
because our government has put pressure on Mexico to stop
migration and stop migrants, whatever the cost, and they may
resort to these heavy-handed actions because of that.
And so I wanted to see if you can assure us that the United
States has not and will not ask the Mexican Government to use
force, violence, or intimidation against migrants.
Mr. Nichols. Absolutely not. We work with the Mexican
Government to promote respect for the human rights and dignity
of migrants. And the Mexican Government has actually been
reinforcing their structures building better shelters,
providing better training, and working with the International
Organization for Migration, to that end.
Mr. Castro. And what will we do, the U.S. Government, to
hold Mexican security units that commit such abuses
accountable? And will we cut security assistance to those
units, as required by law?
Mr. Nichols. We will absolutely follow the law. And human
rights are a crucial aspect of our foreign assistance
engagement with all countries, and that is certainly the case
with Mexico. But I would note that President Lopez Obrador and
Mexican authorities broadly also stress the importance of
respect for human rights in their public and private remarks.
Mr. Castro. A key threat to democracy, stability, and human
rights in Mexico is gang-and drug-related violence, as you
know. And a recent GAO report found that 70 to 90 percent of
guns recovered in Mexico are from the United States, almost all
illegally smuggled into the country.
Will the State Department prioritize combating firearms
trafficking from the United States to Mexico in our security
cooperation with Mexico, especially under the new Bicentennial
Framework?
Mr. Nichols. Yes. That was something that was discussed
during our meetings in Mexico City in October.
Mexican authorities already have access to eTrace to help
them trace the guns that they find. U.S. law enforcement
agencies coordinate closely with their Mexican counterparts,
and we continue to promote those engagements and interactions.
I hope that--not to preview too much, but I hope that we
will have an announcement along those lines in connection with
the North American Leaders Summit later this week.
Mr. Castro. Great.
I have one more question, and then I want to make a
statement about the confirmations being held up in the Senate.
But a question about Honduras: With Honduras' elections
only weeks away and given the United States' premature
declaration of Juan Orlando Hernandez's win in 2017, what will
the State Department do to monitor the November 28th elections?
Mr. Nichols. Thank you, Congressman.
Well, I will be traveling to Honduras on Sunday. I will be
meeting with candidates as well as the elections council and
government officials to discuss the importance of a free, fair,
transparent, and peaceful electoral process.
There is also an OAS electoral observation mission in
Honduras, and we will be following events closely. And we want
to make sure that we analyze the vote and any outcomes
carefully, and we will be judicious in our remarks.
Mr. Castro. Thank you.
And, in closing, I want to draw attention to a number of
senior positions at the State Department and USAID that are
still vacant yet are critical for our leadership in the Western
Hemisphere.
These positions include the Assistant Secretaries for
International Organization Affairs, for Conflict and
Stabilization Operations, for International Security and
Proliferation, and for Population, Refugees, and Migration; and
Ambassadors to NATO, Costa Rica, and Paraguay.
Each of these individuals has had their hearing at the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee and received a vote in the
committee. They are unable to start their jobs because Senator
Ted Cruz and Senator Josh Hawley are jeopardizing our national
security by refusing to allow a vote on the Senate floor for
their nominations.
I hope these Senators drop their unreasonable demands soon
and you have a fully staffed State Department to advance our
priorities in the Western Hemisphere and around the world.
Thank you for your testimony today.
Mr. Sires. Thank you, Congressman Castro.
Now we will turn it over to Representative Salazar.
Ms. Salazar. Thank you.
And wonderful to be able to talk to you, Mr. Nichols, and
congratulations on your new position.
I believe, sir, that Latin America is not a priority for
this Administration, and, unfortunately, the empirical evidence
proves it. As a result, we are losing our influence in the
Americas, and China and Russia are pillaging Latin America
while we are asleep.
Let me just talk to you about three different countries
that I am interested in, so please make your answers not too
long.
Cuba. For 4 months, sir, I have been asking your
Administration, the Biden Administration, the State Department,
for one thing: internet connectivity to the island. Your deputy
promised to brief me personally on the progress the State
Department has been making on bringing connectivity to Cuba,
and that meeting has not occurred.
So my question to you is, sir, have you done the due
diligence with the companies that can provide that technology
to Cuba? There are two companies that we can talk to. Have you
done that due diligence?
Mr. Nichols. Our technical experts have been in touch with
the private sector as well as U.S. Government experts to
discuss ways to improve internet access on the island----
Ms. Salazar. I am talking about two specific companies that
have the technology ready to go so you can do the due diligence
and the White House can give the final approval and we can put
those balloons up in the air.
Are you aware who those two companies are?
Mr. Nichols. So there is no magic bullet to solve the
internet----
Ms. Salazar. Sure there is. The technology is out there,
and we can at least try it.
And that is my frustration. This Administration does not
even want to do the due diligence. There is no willingness to
bring connectivity to the island of Cuba.
Are you aware of that, sir?
Mr. Nichols. We are working to increase access to the
internet. I would note that during yesterday's protest there
was not a broad switch-off of internet access. There was----
Ms. Salazar. Yes, there is. And I am so sorry. You keep on
telling me the same thing that everyone tells me, and that is
not true. But, if you want, I can have a private conversation
with you and tell you where that technology is.
Now let's go to Mexico. On Thursday, sir, President AMLO,
Lopez Obrador, is going to be welcomed to Washington. And I am
sure you remember that Lopez Obrador received Diaz-Canel as a
king. Not even Fidel Castro was received like that on Mexican
soil.
And there is a report from your State Department that says
that Mexico is profiting from the human trafficking and forced
labor of Cuban doctors on Mexican soil. That violates USMCA,
the free-trade agreement between Mexico and the United States.
Are you going to confront, are you going to ask the Biden
Administration to ask AMLO about these two atrocities?
Mr. Nichols. We discuss human rights around the hemisphere
with our counterparts in Mexico, and we continue to advocate
for the key values of----
Ms. Salazar. But, specifically, is it on the agenda now
when Lopez Obrador is coming to Washington to address
specifically these two things that I just pointed out?
Mr. Nichols. We are going to have a robust dialog about a
range of issues, including the human rights situation in the
hemisphere.
Ms. Salazar. And specifically in Cuba. Thank you.
Now let's go to Colombia. President Biden's top advisor--
his name is Juan Gonzalez--said that Mr. Biden has ``no tiene
de quien es Gustavo Petro,'' he has no idea who Gustavo Petro
is.
I am going to tell you who he is. He is a thief, he is a
Socialist, he is a Marxist, he is a terrorist, and he is
leading the poll for President of Colombia.
Do you share my opinion about Petro?
Mr. Nichols. I served as Deputy Chief of Mission in our
Embassy in Bogota. I have met him. And I will just note that
the election is a decision for the people of Colombia----
Ms. Salazar. I am asking you what the State Department
thinks about Mr. Petro.
Mr. Nichols. I do not want----
Ms. Salazar. What is your opinion of him?
Mr. Nichols. I am not going to characterize the candidates
in Colombia. I note that it is a decision for the Colombian
people, and we hope for a free, fair, and transparent process.
Ms. Salazar. Well, you want the best for the people of
Colombia, and you do not want a Marxist in power, do you,
someone that is undermining the Colombian democracy?
I am asking you.
Mr. Nichols. We look forward to a free, fair, and
transparent process in Colombia that reflects the will of the
Colombian people. We have a longstanding alliance----
Ms. Salazar. Thank you.
Mr. Nichols [continuing]. And relationship----
Ms. Salazar. Let's go to Venezuela. the Biden
Administration, sir, has eliminated the role of a special
envoy. It has not nominated a single political appointee for
Venezuela and has not met with Juan Guaido.
And my question to you, sir, is: Are you planning, the
Biden Administration, the State Department, planning to throw
the legitimate President of Venezuela under the bus?
Mr. Nichols. We recognize Interim President Guaido and his
government. We continue to work with them closely. And I do not
expect any change in that regard.
Ms. Salazar. So you are telling me that you are not
planning to recognize the Maduro regime?
Mr. Sires. Congresswoman, we are going to do a second round
of questioning.
Ms. Salazar. I want to see if he can get that on the
record.
You are not planning to recognize the Maduro regime?
Mr. Nichols. I do not see any change in our position.
Ms. Salazar. Good for you.
Mr. Sires. Mr. Pfluger.
Ms. Salazar. Thank you.
Mr. Pfluger. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Secretary, thank you for being here.
I have a couple of questions on Venezuela. When it comes to
the influence of China, Russia, Iran, I think there is a very
disturbing trend of influence, not just in Venezuela but all
throughout the Western Hemisphere, specifically in South
America.
Can you characterize to me your thoughts on this influence
as it relates to energy inside Venezuela?
Mr. Nichols. So the nations that you mention provide a
lifeline to the Maduro regime. They facilitate the evasion of
sanctions imposed by not just the United States but countries
around the world against the Maduro regime. It is a very
problematic relationship.
In addition to direct sanctions evasion, they also provide
a financial lifeline to the Maduro regime that is deeply
worrisome. And it is reflective of their lack of respect for
the Venezuelan people that they would support this regime.
Mr. Pfluger. So, if there are ways to counter this with,
like you just said, free, fair, transparency, whether it is in
elections or business dealings or all of the above, I mean, is
that something that the Administration would be willing to look
at, you know, in Venezuela?
I mean, there are American companies that have been there
that provide that stability that actually do quite a bit of
good inside the country. Unfortunately, they are going through
a very tough time right now.
And I think that the question for you is, would the
Administration support looking at ways to counter the
influence, malign influence, of those three countries, to the
benefit of the people of Venezuela?
Mr. Nichols. Well, that certainly, absolutely is something
that we look at and we talk about regularly.
I will just note that we support the negotiation process
between the Unitary Platform and the Maduro regime, and we
believe that it is, you know, the interim government that
should be determining who gets to invest in Venezuela and what
the roles are there. And that is something that we look to them
to help orient us.
Mr. Pfluger. Can you talk to me about any concerns with
regards to energy and the people of Venezuela either suffering
or not having access to affordable, reliable energy?
Mr. Nichols. Well, certainly, the suffering of the people
of Venezuela is the responsibility of the Maduro regime, which
has imposed--and Chavez before it--has imposed decades of poor
economic policies, massive corruption and graft. So that is
what causes the suffering of their people.
But I would note that we hope that on the negotiating table
in Mexico City, if the Maduro regime returns, they will address
humanitarian issues, including access to healthcare, education,
food, and secure, reliable energy.
Mr. Pfluger. Moving on to the second topic--and I
appreciate that. You know, I think that it is important for us
to work very closely. You know, these are complex issues. But,
at the end of the day, we want the people to be able to have
access to food, to energy, to all the basic human needs. And
there are American companies who I think are positioned very
well to counter the influence, the malign influence, of
countries like Iran, Russia, and China.
I would like to ask you some questions about what Panama is
doing with regards to their use of biometrics and the
identification of people who may end up on the Known or
Suspected Terrorist List or be criminal actors that are
migrants that are traveling from South America through Central
America and how the Administration is working with countries
like Panama to then expand that throughout the region. And are
you looking to make some sort of effort to standardize this?
Because, you know, the Panamanian Government has recently
told us that they have identified 52 people that have qualified
for the Known or Suspected Terrorist List that have been
migrants. So what efforts is the Administration making to this
end?
Mr. Nichols. So this is a big priority for us, to
coordinate with countries throughout the migrant routes. And
Panama is a crucial one because there is a big migrant movement
that goes from the Darien on the Colombian side to the Darien
on the Panamanian side.
I think I have met with Foreign Minister Mouynes of Panama
more than any other Foreign Minister. I think I have had
fivemeetings with her. We talk about migration issues
regularly. The meeting in Bogota, chaired by Secretary Blinken,
coordinated on those issues. Under Secretary Zeya visited
Panama and reviewed these issues on the ground with them. So it
is a very close relationship, and we want to keep doing more.
Mr. Pfluger. Well, thank you. I will wait for the second
round to followup.
I yield back.
Mr. Sires. Thank you, Congressman. It looks like we are not
going to make the second round since the votes have been
called, but I want to make sure that I ask for unanimous
consent that my friend Chris Smith participate in today's
hearing.
Mr. Smith of New Jersey. Thank you so very much, Mr.
Chairman. And I thank you for that courtesy, and to the ranking
member as well. I will be very brief.
You know, I first met Daniel Ortega in my second term in
1984, and he was then a serial abuser of human rights. It was a
very contentious meeting. We met with Tomas Borge and all the
others that were a part of that dictatorship. And nothing has
changed. If not, it has gotten worse.
In July, I chaired a hearing of the Tom Lantos Human Rights
Commission. We heard from Victoria Cardenas and also with Berta
Valle. As you know, both their husbands are in prison and would
have stood for election, probably would have won, at least one
of them, or one of the others who have been put into prison.
I know and you said in your testimony, Secretary Nichols,
that, you know, a number of sanctions have gone out against
individuals. We deeply appreciate that.
But I am asking if you would consider--I remember working
with Armando Valladares when he got the first group to visit
the Cuban prisons under Ronald Reagan. It was an amazing 7
weeks at the Human Rights Commission then, not the Council, and
he got that resolution passed.
And I know you point out that there is a Human Rights
Council resolution, as well as OAS as well. If there could be
added or a new one that would say a visit to those individuals,
because we are not sure--you know, one of those men has lost 30
pounds, is in dire straits. He could pass away.
And, again, I want to thank the chairman and the ranking
member for their leadership on the RENACER legislation, which
is a tremendous boost, I think, to try to promote democracy and
freedom there.
But, again, to get a visit. The ICRC would be another group
that could be encouraged to go and visit them, hopefully with
the thought of getting them out. They are unjustly imprisoned,
as you know, as we all know. But it might work to do it at the
Human Rights Council, because it has been done before. There is
precedent for it.
Mr. Nichols. Representative Smith, I agree wholeheartedly.
I also met with Vicki Cardenas and Berta Valle last week.
And I would just note that the OAS General Assembly
resolution on Nicaragua calls for the immediate release of
political prisoners. I talked to Secretary General Almagro
about the importance of him taking action to implement that
resolution. But the additional ideas that you put forward are
absolutely well-taken. I agree 100 percent.
Mr. Smith of New Jersey. About visits. That is great. Thank
you.
I yield back and thank you.
Mr. Green. Mr. Chairman, could I have Representative
Pfluger consume the remaining time for Ranking Member Smith?
Mr. Sires. Sure.
Mr. Pfluger. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Assistant Secretary, in talking about USMCA, I have some
serious concerns about--and I know it has been discussed
already, but on the upholding of the trade agreement, there are
a variety of issues. The reason that we go down these paths of
either bilateral or preferential trade agreements is because
the other frameworks do not seem to be doing it.
So it is very important that the Administration communicate
our needs. In discussions with the USTR, we have also brought
this up. Can you please tell me which items are going to be
discussed tomorrow with regards to USMCA?
Mr. Nichols. So I do not want to totally preview the
President's meeting, but I will say that there will be a broad
discussion of integrating North American supply chains. Labor
issues and ensuring that we continue to make progress in North
American energy integration are some examples of the issues in
USMCA.
Mr. Pfluger. I would just urge that--the members of the
Texas delegation, in a bipartisan manner, have sent letters
concerning our concerns with regards to energy and especially
U.S. companies doing business in Mexico, and would urge the
Administration to take a look at this to make sure that what we
signed up to within the framework of USMCA is actually upheld
and that the Mexican Government looks at this and takes it
very, very seriously to continue to have free trade. Because,
right now, the trend is away from that and not in line with the
agreement.
And, with that, Mr. Chairman, thank you for the time. I
yield back.
Mr. Sires. Thank you.
Well, thank you, Assistant Secretary Nichols, for joining
us today. You have a big job, with all the problems that we
have in the Western Hemisphere, and we only touched on a few of
the issues that are important.
I look forward to working with you and my colleagues in
Congress on a bipartisan basis to ensure we engage more closely
with our partners and allies in the Western Hemisphere. As this
region emerges from the pandemic and contends with serious
threats to democratic values and fundamental human rights, our
support has never been more important.
With that, the hearing is adjourned.
Mr. Nichols. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Sires. They just called votes. Otherwise, we would have
had you here a little longer.
[Whereupon, at 2:57 p.m., the subcommittee was adjourned.]
APPENDIX
[GRAPHICS NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
[all]