EL SALVADOR ALERT TO HAITI-BOUND PRC TRAVELERS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SAN SALVADOR 000971 SIPDIS DEPT FOR HSTC E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/08/2019 TAGS: KCRM KFRD ASEC ES HA SUBJECT: EL SALVADOR ALERT TO HAITI-BOUND PRC TRAVELERS REF: STATE 100997 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires, for reasons 1.4 (b),(c),and (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: EMBOFFS delivered reftel demarche to the Salvadoran Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Immigration Authorities, and airline representatives. The Government of El Salvador (GOES) was receptive and all parties expressed a desire to prevent mala fide travel between Haiti and El Salvador. The GOES expressed annoyance toward the Government of Ecuador (GOE) after the GOE broke a promise made to the GOES regarding a migration matter. END SUMMARY. -------------- GOES ON THE LOOKOUT FOR HAITI-BOUND CHINESE -------------- ¶2. (C) Joaquin Maza, MFA Director General of Foreign Policy told Polcouns on October 7 that the GOES agreed with USG concern about the risk of mala fide travel to Haiti by Chinese nationals. Maza stated that he would reinforce our message with Salvadoran Immigration Authorities. ¶3. (C) DHS/ICE Country Attache and the Fraud Prevention Manager (FPM) separately conveyed reftel points to the GOES Director of Migration, Ruben Alvarado. During both meetings, the Director discussed a case in which he had already denied a transit visa for a Chinese national traveling en route to Haiti and would continue to do so until directed otherwise, which he does not anticipate. ¶4. (C) FPM met with representatives of all the airlines operating in El Salvador to discuss Haiti,s visa waiver policy for Chinese nationals. The representatives expressed doubt that many Chinese nationals would use this new policy to travel between Haiti and El Salvador with the intent of reaching the United States. Each airline promised to continue existing information sharing with Post and to be particularly vigilant with respect to Chinese nationals or those traveling with PRC travel documents. -------------- -------------- GOES IRRITATION WITH GOE OVER BROKEN MIGRATION DEAL -------------- -------------- ¶5. (C) During their meeting, Maza told Polcouns that President Funes and Foreign Minister Martinez are angered by the GOE refusing to accept the return of 68 illegal migrants. According to Maza, the GOES voted for the Ecuadoran candidate for UNESCO Director General in exchange for Quito accepting the return of these migrants who were detained in Salvadoran waters en route to Guatemala from Ecuador. ¶6. (C) COMMENT: We expect to continue close cooperation with the GOES on this and other third-country migration issues. Being left holding the bag by Quito only serves to reinforce to GOES authorities the impact Ecuador's permissive visa and migration policies can have. BLAU