July 2, 2019
Acting Secretary of Homeland Security visited El Salvador
to address agenda on security and fight against migration
Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Kevin McAleenan visited El Salvador from july 1- 2. McAleelan’s arrival is part of a regional pact between the U.S. and the countries of the region to develop an action plan to tackle the root causes of irregular migration and face the challenges of its origin.
During his visit, the Acting Secretary, accompanied by Ambassador Manes met with President Bukele to discuss the actions implemented by the new government to improve security and fight against irregular migration. During the meeting, they lamented the all too frequent dangers and loss of life of those who undertake the journey and encouraged Salvadorans to make their future in El Salvador. McAleelan reaffirmed the commitment of the United States to support the regional road map proposed by Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador in police cooperation and border reinforcement.
Acting Secretary McAleelan also visited the Model Police Precinct (MPP) of the National Police, located in Santa Tecla. The U.S., through its Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs at the Department of State, supports the improvement and modernization of 50 police delegations nationwide, through a community policing approach and educational programs to prevent violence.
He also participated in the National Trade Facilitation Committee, a private consultative body, which includes key representatives of the private and public sectors. This committee is part of El Salvador’s efforts to reactivate the economy through a better dialogue between the government and the private sector, and thus improve the climate for commerce and investments in the country. Other bilateral meetings included the Migration Task Force, which involved the Minister of Justice and Public Security, Rogelio Rivas, and representatives of the National Police, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Directorate of Migration, and the Office of the Attorney General.
Finally, the Acting Secretary visited the Gender Based Violence Assistance Center at the Integrated Criminal Justice Center “Dr. Isidro Menéndez.” There he learned about the efforts that El Salvador makes to attend to victims of gender violence, another cause of irregular migration. This project has the support of the United States Agency for International Development, USAID since 2013.
