[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 7 (Wednesday, January 10, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1621-1622]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-00346]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice: 12297]
Report to Congress Pursuant to the United States--Northern
Triangle Enhanced Engagement Act
ACTION: Notice of report.
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SUMMARY: This document provides an update to the Department of State's
report to Congress on July 19, 2023, regarding foreign persons who are
determined to have knowingly engaged in actions that undermine
democratic processes or institutions, significant corruption, or
obstruction of investigation into such acts of corruption in El
Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras pursuant to the United States--
Northern Triangle Enhanced Engagement Act, as amended.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Report to Congress on Foreign Persons who
have Knowingly Engaged in Actions that Undermine Democratic Processes
or Institutions, or in Significant Corruption, or in Obstruction of
Investigations into Such Acts of Corruption, in El Salvador, Guatemala,
Honduras, and Nicaragua Pursuant to Section 353(b) of the Department of
State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act,
2021
(Div. FF, Pub. L. 116-260, as amended) (Section 353)
Consistent with section 353(b) of the United States--Northern
Triangle Enhanced Engagement Act (Div. FF, Pub. L. 116-260) (the Act),
as amended, this report is being submitted to the House Foreign Affairs
Committee, Senate Foreign Relations Committee, House Committee on the
Judiciary, and the Senate Committee on the Judiciary.
This document provides an update to the Department of State's
report to Congress on July 19, 2023. Section 353(b) requires the
submission of a report that identifies the following persons in El
Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua: foreign persons who the
President has determined have knowingly engaged (1) in actions that
undermine democratic processes or institutions; (2) in significant
corruption; and (3) in obstruction of investigations into such acts of
corruption, including the following: corruption related to government
contracts; bribery and extortion; the facilitation or transfer of the
proceeds of corruption, including through money laundering; and acts of
violence, harassment, or intimidation directed at governmental and
nongovernmental corruption investigators. On November 10, 2021, the
President signed the Reinforcing Nicaragua's Adherence to Conditions
for Electoral Reform (RENACER) Act, adding Nicaragua to the countries
within the scope of Section 353. On June 21, 2021, the President
delegated his authority under section 353 to the Secretary of State.
Under section 353, foreign persons identified in the report
submitted to Congress are generally ineligible for visas and admission
to the United States and any current visa shall be revoked and any
other valid visa or entry documentation cancelled. Consistent with
section 353(g), this report will be published in the Federal Register.
This report includes individuals who the Secretary has determined
have engaged in the relevant activity based upon credible information.
The Department will continue to review the individuals listed in the
report and consider all available tools to deter and disrupt corrupt
and undemocratic activity in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and
Nicaragua. The Department also continues to actively
[[Page 1622]]
review additional credible information and allegations concerning
corruption or undemocratic activity and to utilize all applicable
authorities, as appropriate, to ensure corrupt or undemocratic
officials are denied safe haven in the United States.
El Salvador
Ricardo Gomez, President Commissioner of the Institute for Access
to Public Information, undermined democratic processes or institutions
by purposefully and wrongfully blocking access to public information
through his position as President Commissioner at the Institute for
Access to Public Information.
Gerardo Guerrero, commissioner of the Institute for Access to
Public Information, undermined democratic processes or institutions by
purposefully and wrongfully blocking access to public information
through his position as a Commissioner at the Institute for Access to
Public Information.
Andr[eacute]s Gr[eacute]gori Rodr[iacute]guez, commissioner of the
Institute for Access to Public Information, undermined democratic
processes or institutions by purposefully and wrongfully blocking
access to public information through his position as a Commissioner at
the Institute for Access to Public Information.
Honduras
Ricardo Arturo Salgado Bonilla, Current Minister of Strategic
Planning, undermined democratic processes or institutions by directing
the LIBRE party's coordinated efforts through party loyalist groups
(``colectivos'') to suppress dissent by violently intimidating
opposition legislators calling for a legislative session on October 31,
2023.
Mohammad Yusuf Amdani Bai, a private businessman, engaged in
significant corruption by bribing Honduran Supreme Court officials to
rule in favor of his business in a private lawsuit.
Cristian Adolfo S[aacute]nchez, engaged in significant corruption
by participating in a scheme that defrauded the Honduran government of
more than $300,000, and colluded with Ministry of Health officials to
improperly award government contracts.
Guatemala
Leonor Eugenia Morales Lazo, current prosecutor, undermined
democratic processes or institutions by leading a politically-motivated
investigation to cast doubt on certified election results to disrupt
the presidential transition.
Noe Nehem[iacute]as Rivera Vasquez, current prosecutor, undermined
democratic processes or institutions by bringing politically motivated
charges against justice actors fighting corruption and impunity.
Pedro Otto Hernandez Gonzalez, current prosecutor, undermined
democratic processes or institutions by participating in a politically-
motivated investigation to cast doubt on certified election results to
disrupt the presidential transition.
Silvia Patricia Valdes Quezada, a former Supreme Court of Justice
magistrate, undermined democratic processes or institutions by
participating in the ``Parallel Commissions'' scheme to stack the
Supreme Court and Appellate Courts with corrupt judges.
Nicaragua
Gloria Maria Saavedra Corrales, Judge in the Tenth Criminal
District Court of Hearings of Managua, undermined democratic processes
or institutions by using her position and authority within the
Nicaraguan judicial system to knowingly facilitate a coordinated
campaign to suppress dissent by confiscating property from the Jesuit
Central American University without a legal basis, in order to install
a regime-friendly administration.
Maribel del Socorro Duriez Gonz[aacute]lez, President of
Nicaragua's National Council for Evaluation and Accreditation (CNEA),
undermined democratic processes or institutions by taking part in a
coordinated campaign to suppress dissent by confiscating property from
the government's political opponents, including the Central American
University (UCA) and at least 25 other private Nicaraguan universities,
without a legal basis, in order to install a regime-friendly
administrations.
Ramona Rodriguez Perez, President of Nicaragua's National Council
of Universities (CNU), undermined democratic processes or institutions
by taking part in a coordinated campaign to suppress dissent by
confiscating property from the government's political opponents,
including Central American University (UCA) and at least 25 other
private Nicaraguan universities, without a legal basis, in order to
install a regime-friendly administrations.
Alejandro Enrique Genet Cruz, Rector of Casimiro Sotelo University
(formerly Central American University), undermined democratic processes
or institutions by taking part in a coordinated campaign to retaliate
against critics of the Ortega-Murillo regime and to suppress dissent by
using his position to create policies that punish Casimiro Sotelo
University faculty and students who do not take part in political
activities for Ortega's Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN)
political party.
Dated: December 20, 2023.
Richard Verma,
Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources.
[FR Doc. 2024-00346 Filed 1-9-24; 8:45 am]
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