WASHINGTON,- The US Department of State updated this Monday the new Engel List that it must deliver to the US Congress by law: it includes two former Salvadoran presidents for links to public money laundering.
Former presidents Mauricio Funes and Salvador Sánchez Cerén, three former officials of Banco Hipotecario and a trusted man of Funes were included in the Engel List updated this Wednesday by the United States Department of State.
The six former officials are mentioned for being involved in “significant corruption” linked to laundering and diversion of million-dollar sums of public money, bribes for laundering and, in the case of the former president of the International Center for Fairs and Conventions (Cifco), Miguel Menéndez, known as Mecafé, in the award of a public works contract.
Both Funes and Sánchez Cerén are prosecuted in El Salvador for the diversion of funds destined for the reserved expense item of the Presidency of the Republic known as the “secret item.”
The Engel List is a list of people involved in anti-democratic or corrupt acts in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras according to Section 353 of the Northern Triangle Enhanced Engagement Act of the United States approved on December 27, 2020 by the US Congress .
Those mentioned on the list lose their visa or entry document to the United States for three years and may not be eligible or have immigration benefits.
1. Carlos Mauricio Funes Cartagena, former president of El Salvador.
The report states that Mauricio Funes “engaged in significant corruption by orchestrating and participating in various bribery, embezzlement and money laundering schemes while he was president, stealing hundreds of millions of dollars from state coffers.”
2. Salvador Sánchez Cerén, former president and vice president of El Salvador.
The State Department notes that Sánchez Cerén “engaged in significant corruption by laundering money during his tenure as vice president, personally receiving more than $1.3 million in public funds in exchange” and that he “participated in a scheme to divert $183 million in public funds from public accounts and oversight towards personal accounts while serving as president.”
3. José Miguel “Mecafé” Antonio Menéndez Avelar, former president of the Center for Fairs and Conventions:
According to the report, “he incurred in” significant corruption” in a contract from the Ministry of Public Works (MOP) for $8.4 million for the construction of a bridge in Chalatenango, to a Guatemalan businessman, for which he illegally received a Beechcraft King Air 90 plane as gift.
4. Carlos Alberto Ortiz, former president of Banco Hipotecario.
According to the report, he laundered $97 million in exchange for $72,000 in bribes.
5. Carlos Enrique Cruz Arana, former vice president of Banco Hipotecario.
According to the report, he laundered $94.5 million in exchange for $64,500 in bribes.