[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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