Those affected are the Minister of Labor, Rolando Castro, and the Legal Secretary, Conan Castro Ramírez, for alleged acts of corruption based on the so-called Global Magnitsky Law, legislation that allows the President of the United States to sanction any foreigner “proven” that he committed human rights abuses and other violations.

According to Salvadoran sources, these actions are part of the pressure exerted by Washington against the country and show the extraterritoriality of many US laws that apply to countries and citizens, such as the Helms-Burton law against Cuba, and other regulations that affect Venezuela. Nicaragua, Iran and other nations.

The Americans do not have jurisdiction to sanction any official from another country because they are not international judges, local media highlight in reference to the so-called Global Magnitsky Law.

According to the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the United States Department of the Treasury, both officials are involved in alleged acts of corruption. “Conan Tonathiu Castro Ramírez, during his tenure as Presidential Legal Secretary, obstructed investigations into the misappropriation of public funds during the government’s response to the pandemic and used his position for personal financial gain,” OFAC said.

Likewise, they accuse the head of Labor of alleged “acts of corruption and embezzlement of public funds for his personal benefit.”

The two officials are included by the State Department in the so-called “Engel List”, along with 12 other Salvadoran politicians, officials and former officials for committing acts of corruption, obstructing investigations and damaging democratic institutions.

Since its approval in 2016, the law has been used by Washington to put pressure on countries that do not agree with its interests, it is applied globally and “authorizes” the White House to sanction alleged violators of human rights and corruption, freeze their foreign assets and ban them from entering the country.

ef/rgh/lb