Congresswoman Norma J. Torres Releases Statement on News of Bukele Administration Shutting Down Corruption Investigations
WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Norma Torres released the following statement on the reporting that El Salvador President Nayib Bukele shut down anti-corruption investigations into his government's partnering with gangs and criminals:
"This reporting confirms what we already knew: The Bukele Administration is making secret pacts with violent gangs to rig crime statistics and public perception, while shutting down investigations into its corrupt and dangerous dealings. This further demonstrates that we can't trust or partner with the Salvadoran government, which has proven time and time again it is only working in its own self-interest, not for the people. I'm glad the U.S. State Department and Treasury have taken action to sanction some of these individuals, but our work here is not done, and we can't lose sight of how the Salvadoran people are suffering due to this government's corruption and anti-democratic actions. I thank German Arriaza for bravely coming forward with this information. His unfortunate need to flee the country reflects the intimidation we see from this government against actors who work for transparency, including former Attorney General Melara, the Constitutional Court judges, and CICIES. I will continue to fight in Congress to ensure the U.S. doesn't enable corruption or violate our international agreements. We should instead partner with those committed to upholding the rule of law and democratic institutions to help support the Salvadoran people."
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