Senators question Biden’s sanctions in Latin America and the Caribbean

A group of Republican senators has expressed concern over the Biden administration’s “misuse” of sanctions in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, wrote a letter to President Biden with Sens. Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Mike Lee of Utah, Tim Scott of South Carolina, John Cornyn of Texas and Marco Rubio and Rick Scott of Florida, saying they’re concerned that U.S. national security interests are at risk.

“We are deeply troubled by why your administration appears to have politicized the sanctions process to target certain U.S. partners and undermine U.S. national and regional security while refusing to sanction egregious actions in the region by others,” the senators wrote.

Their letter expressed concern over the officials who have been designated for acts of significant corruption under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, most of which the senators say are from Latin American and Caribbean governments “that have cooperated with the United States on strategic diplomatic and national security interests.”

They specifically mentioned Alejandro Giammattei, former president of Guatemala, as someone who was designated for acts of significant corruption even though during his administration was a strong partner to the U.S.

The senators say the Biden administration has failed to actually hold those who have done wrong accountable.

“In contrast, your administration has ignored well-documented cases of significant corruption by foreign government officials actively undermining U.S. national security interests and supporting U.S. adversaries in Latin America and the Caribbean,” they wrote.

They mentioned Venezuela, Ecuador, Argentina and Brazil for having officials or leaders that qualify to be designated for corruption, like former Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa, who has been convicted for bribery and corruption and was indicted for facilitating the kidnapping of an opposition leader, or those involved in the regime of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

“We are deeply troubled by why your administration appears to have politicized the sanctions process to target certain U.S. partners and undermine U.S. national and regional security while refusing to sanction egregious actions in the region by others,” the senators wrote.

They called on the administration to explain the process and criteria it used to designate the officials in Latin America and the Caribbean for corruption.