Central American Officials Listed In Corruption Crackdown

Central American presidential aides, top judges and former presidents have been put on a U.S. State Department list who are allegedly engaged in corruption, obstructing justice or undermining democracy.

The so-called Engel List was created under a law sponsored by then-U.S. Representative Eliot Engel and enacted by Congress in December that required the State Department to assemble within 180 days a list of corrupt actors in the Northern Triangle countries of El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala.

Seven current and former top Salvadoran officials appeared on the list, including President Nayib Bukele’s Labor Minister Rolando Castro, Cabinet Chief Carolina Recinos and former Justice and Security Minister Rogelio Rivas.

Bukele has drawn international criticism, including from the United States, over ousting and replacing senior judges and the attorney general.

Over a dozen Honduran lawmakers and two senior Guatemalan judges were also named, including recently appointed Constitutional Court judge Nester Vasquez.

The U.S. government said the 55 people named were on the list for reasons including knowingly engaging in corruption, obstructing investigations into corruption and undermining democratic processes or institutions.

The State Department said the listed officials would immediately have their visas revoked and would be unable to enter the United States,.

The governments of El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The list’s publication sparked reactions on Thursday, including by some officials whose names were included.