[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 34 (Wednesday, March 17, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E402]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              EL SALVADOR

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. DANA ROHRABACHER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 17, 2004

  Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Speaker, the result of the election in Spain was 
a major setback in the War on Terror and is a setback in our 
relationship with the people of Spain. There is another election, which 
will be taking place shortly in this our hemisphere, in El Salvador. 
The communist/FMLN political party derives from the communist guerillas 
who waged war for years to establish a communist dictatorship in El 
Salvador. They could win this election in part because of reported 
covert assistance they are receiving from foreign communists and pro-
Castro regimes.
  If the communist/FMLN presidential candidate wins, the great spirit 
of cooperation we have had with El Salvador would be put in jeopardy. 
The FMLN has promised to immediately open full diplomatic relations 
with communist Cuba, which is a state sponsor of terrorism. They will 
do that at the expense of El Salvador's relationship with the United 
States.
  If a new communist/FMLN government in El Salvador acts as it promises 
to do it could well cause the United States to reconsider its grant of 
Temporary Protective Status (TPS) to about 400,000 Salvadorans who live 
there. These citizens of El Salvador living in the U.S. also send about 
two billion dollars to their home country each year. A hostile 
communist/FMLN regime in El Salvador would likely lead the United 
States to reconsider our policies which permit the sending of such a 
bounty to El Salvador.
  It is important for the people of El Salvador to understand that 
their decision at the polls will have consequences for their future 
relations with the United States. A victory for the communist/FMLN will 
most likely open a regrettable gulf between our countries after years 
of cooperation.

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