Ambassador Ronald Johnson Remarks
Inauguration of USDA-supported Pork Slaughterhouse
San Juan Opico, El Salvador
January 15, 2020
A very good morning to you all, I’m very pleased to be here for the official launch of this project. Who would have thought that the U.S. government’s support for El Salvador includes pigs!
But, this project represents two of the main features of U.S. cooperation.
One, that our support is everywhere, including places you wouldn’t imagine, and two, our support is aligned with the needs of El Salvador. Our intention is to improve the quality of life of Salvadorans — that’s what makes a good partner.
We are here not for the short-term benefit, but to support initiatives that foment the sustainable development of El Salvador over the long term.
This project took ten long years to become a reality. Over the span of those years, some partners may have given up on this project. But, we believe in honoring our commitments no matter how much time it takes, because we believe that the Salvadorans deserve our best efforts.
This new slaughterhouse will improve the lives of Salvadorans, in a variety of ways. It will generate new jobs, it will generate new options for high quality pork products for Salvadoran consumers, and it is the first step towards entering regional and international markets — including the world’s largest market, the United States.
I hope that on one of my trips to Washington, I can eat a pork-filled pupusa from El Salvador.
Initiatives like these can be expanded to other industries. As a reliable partner, we are also supporting other projects in the area of agriculture, such as the MOCCA project that supports the coffee and cocoa industry. In addition, our poultry projects help El Salvador export its precooked products to the United States and reinforce the processes that generate added value.
If we keep moving forward together as we have been, I think we can expect to find great things waiting for us. This slaughterhouse is just one small example of what we can achieve when we all focus on a shared goal.
Today, El Salvador has the best pork processing facility in the entire region. If El Salvador explores more of these types of commercial opportunities, you can be sure that you can trust the U.S. government as a partner that supports your efforts, because we believe in the future of this country.
We believe in the strong relationship between the United States and El Salvador. We will continue to support El Savlador’s work to build a better, more prosperous country, and to show the world that they can invest and prosper in this economy.
Thank you very much.
