[Cispes-Alert] US Embassy Declares Salvadoran Union's Anti-Privatization Work "Dangerous" to U.S. Public

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CISPES ACTION ALERT 

September 20, 2007

 

US Embassy Declares Salvadoran Union's Anti-Privatization Work "Dangerous"
to U.S. Public

 

**Take Action to demand that the U.S. government stop denying visas to
opposition voices!**

 

On Thursday 20, the U.S. Embassy in El Salvador denied Salvadoran union
leader Maria de los Angeles Pleitez Carcamo a visa to come on a speaking
tour of the U.S.  Pleitez is scheduled to participate in CISPES's "We Are
Not Terrorists, Organizing is Our Right!" tour from Oct 16-31.  During the
tour Pleitez will talk about her union's work to stop the privatization of
the public health care system and the increasing repression that social
movement and union leaders are suffering from the Salvadoran government. 

 

On the morning of September 20, Pleitez went to the U.S. Consulate in San
Salvador and presented all of her documents, including proof of work, family
ties, and over a dozen letters of invitation from Congressional
Representatives and other community groups.  In the visa interview, the U.S.
consular representative questioned Pleitez about her ties to CISPES and her
union work.  The official rejection letter cited lack of "economic and
social ties" to El Salvador, but the interviewing officer made it clear that
the rejection was a political decision when he concluded the interview,
saying "this is very delicate situation.you cannot travel because we need to
protect U.S. security." 

 

Pleitez believes she was denied the visa because the U.S. government does
not want people in the United States to know about repression against the
social movement and union leaders in El Salvador.  Pleitez is a national
leader in the Salvadoran General Hospitals Union (SIGEESAL), and SIGEESAL
has recently been targeted for its work to stop privatization.  On September
4, eight SIGEESAL members were illegally arrested for participating in a
demonstration against the privatization of the national health care system.
A number of other organizations have also been attacked for their activism
recently.  In July, 14 people were arrested in Suchitoto for participating
in a peaceful protest against the privatization of water.  Those protesters
are being charged with "terrorist acts" and face up to 60 years of prison.
The SIGEESAL activists are being charged with public disorder and could also
face years in prison.

 

The U.S. Embassy in El Salvador is contributing to the repression of the
social movement and union organizing by denying this visa and not allowing
Ms. Pleitez to tell their stories in the United States   As long as the U.S.
government is supporting this repression in El Salvador it is critical that
communities in the U.S. be allowed to meet with people like Pleitez to share
experiences and build common strategies.  The only "danger" we face is
allowing the government to keep us uninformed! Take action to demand that
the U.S. Consulate grant Ms. Pleitez a visa immediately.

 

TAKE ACTION!

1.     Write to the Consul General of the US Embassy in El Salvador to
demand that Pleitez immediately be granted a visa.  Write to Carl Cockburn,
Consul General -Fax: 011(503)2278-5522, or e-mail to congensansal at state.gov
(see below for sample fax) 

2.     Report back on your discussion or send a copy of your message and any
reply to the CISPES National Office: cispes at cispes.org.

 

 

 

Sample Fax/Email:

* Organizations and Unions, please send letter on institutional letterhead.

 

To: Carl S. Cockburn, Consul General

US Embassy, El Salvador

011-503-2278-5522

 

September 20, 2007

 

 

Dear Mr. Carl S. Cockburn,

 

I am writing to express my concern about your office's decision to deny Ms.
Maria de los Angeles Pleitez Carcamo her visa on September 20.  Ms. Pleitez
has been invited to tour the United States this fall, and she has gone
through all the appropriate steps to secure a visa to enter the U.S.  She
appeared at the Embassy with the necessary documentation, including written
invitations from U.S. Congressional Representatives, unions, and other
organizations, as well as proof of her multiple years of employment in El
Salvador.  

 

All of this evidence is more than enough to prove Ms. Pleitez's ties to El
Salvador, and therefore I question the official letter of denial stating
that she has not proven ties to El Salvador (under section 214(b) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act.)  CISPES, the organization inviting Ms.
Pleitez for the tour, has been organizing events like these for over 27
years and has never had anyone overstay their visa.  

 

In fact, the statements of the Consul General - that Ms. Pleitez can not
travel to the U.S. "for the security of the country" - make the political
dimensions of the decision obvious.  In her role as a union leader Ms.
Pleitez and her fellow union members have been targets of recent police
repression and arrests due to their resistance to government privatization
plans, and the U.S. government has apparently decided to further silence
those who express opposition to government policy.  

 

It is shameful that the U.S. government, through the Consul General's
office, is denying people in the U.S. the right to learn directly from
Salvadorans about the issues facing worker people in Latin America.   I
insist that Ms. Pleitez be issued a visa immediately so that she can arrive
in the U.S. in time for the October tour.

 

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

 

Sincerely,

 

[name and organization/affiliation]

 

 

 


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C 2007 CISPES - The Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador
CISPES National Office | ph. 202-521-2510 | 1525 Newton St. NW, Wash. DC
20010 | cispes at cispes.org

 

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