On El Salvador

Floor Speech

Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my grave concern about the upcoming elections in El Salvador this week.

Under its current and recent governments, El Salvador has served as a Forward Operating Location in the war on drugs and cooperates closely with the United States. However that may change if the opposition party, the FMLN, comes to power in Sunday's election.

The Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) is a pro-terrorist party with direct ties to sponsors of terror like Cuba, Iran, and FARC, the narcoguerrilla terrorist organization in Colombia. Based on its relationships, the FMLN clearly is not a reliable partner in the fight on drug trafficking and money laundering.

If the FMLN were to enter government in El Salvador, the Department of the Treasury would be forced to use its legal authority to monitor, control, delay, or terminate the movement of nearly $4 billion in remittances and other money transfers to El Salvador.

The United States must be prepared to apply, on an urgent basis, the full array of legal instruments available should circumstances after the Salvadoran election require the urgent termination of the flow of remittances to that country.

The government of El Salvador has shown itself to be a reliable and trustworthy counterpart regarding U.S. national security. For the sake of the Salvadorans and the United States, I pray that the FMLN is defeated, so that the United States can maintain its special relationship with the government of El Salvador.

On Election Day, El Salvador will be choosing between remaining a close U.S. ally, or realigning itself with countries hostile to the U.S. Let's hope they choose freedom, security, and good neighborliness with the U.S.

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