Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Eric Jacobstein Discusses U.S.-Central American Relations
On November 30, 2023, the Georgetown Americas Institute (GAI) welcomed Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere Eric Jacobstein to share his analysis of the current state of affairs in Central America and how U.S. policy is impacting the region.
In this talk, Jacobstein outlined the two strategies fundamental to the U.S. State Department’s work in Central America: the Root Causes Strategy and the Collaborative Migration Management Strategy. He also gave an overview on Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua, detailing specific opportunities and challenges in each country. Jacostein reflected that overall there has been good progress on issues like economic opportunity and investment, but insisted that challenges on themes like democracy and rule of law still lie ahead.
Root Causes Strategy
In July 2021, the Biden administration deployed the Root Causes Strategy to address irregular immigration in Central America. The four-year, $4 billion program has the mandate to create sustainable living conditions for all people in the region. The administration set out with the intention of promoting hope and opportunity for the people of Central America within their countries.
The Root Causes Strategy is also seen as a benefit to national security as it ultimately helps to manage irregular migration. To work effectively, the policy goes beyond the economic front and attempts to also address issues like democratic governance, human rights, and public security. According to Jacobstein, it is critical for the United States government to invest in the security and prosperity of the region.
Jacobstein reminded the audience that the issues being confronted are decades in the making. Strategies to fix these long-term challenges will not produce results quickly. While the areas the strategy works to improve are difficult to measure results, Jacobstein did note that there has been sustained progress over time.
While security and economic growth are important, they are impossible to achieve without a commitment to good governance and addressing specific issues like gender violence, press freedom, and human rights. All of these areas are all crucial in order to provide stable futures for the people of Latin America and the Caribbean. On the economic front, Jacobstein explained the Central America Forward plan, an innovative public-private partnership in Central America to drive investment in the region and create quality jobs. Under the program, companies have already committed to invest over $4.2 billion in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. The administration also partners with NGOs in the region to work on issues like transparency, anti-corruption, and democracy.
Collaborative Migration Management Strategy
Complementary to the Root Causes Strategy is the Collaborative Migration Management strategy. The plan is built on the idea that irregular migration is a regional challenge that requires regional solutions and underscores shared responsibility and need for international collaboration. Safe and legal pathways have been an important pillar of the migration management strategy. While Jacobstein describes that it is clear that the border is not open, the Biden administration has created various new legal pathways to enter the country. He gave the CHNV program, which began in January 2023, as an example. The program allows Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans to apply for parole in the United States if they have a sponsor in the country.
Country-specific Challenges in the Region
Guatemala
In Guatemala, U.S. government officials worry about attempts from desperate antidemocratic actors to undermine democracy in the wake of President-elect Bernardo Arévalo’s victory. The Biden administration is working to demonstrate visible support for the incoming democratically-elected government by increasing the number of high-level U.S. official visits. Jacobstein also described the important roles of the private sector, indigenous groups, and international community in defending democracy in the country. Private businesses want to maintain their credit rating and move forward with the agenda items for Central America Forward. Indigenous groups have taken significant measures to push back on undemocratic actions by the country’s attorney general and courts system. International bodies like the OAS have also played a fundamental role investing time and resources in Guatemala. It is important to show that this is not just a U.S. issue, but an issue that the whole hemisphere is watching.
“The issues that we are confronting in Latin America are long-term challenges, decades in the making. We are not naive, we are clear-eyed that change will not happen overnight and that our efforts require sustained attention and collaboration.” - Eric Jacobstein
El Salvador
President Nayib Bukele and his security policy remain popular in the country, although it is an area of concern for the United States. While recognizing the trauma of years of gang violence in the country and realizing that some of its citizens feel safer today under Bukele’s security measures, Jacobstein insisted that due process and right to trial is still necessary.The U.S. government engages with the government to advocate for due process and rule of law, while also promoting the values of the Root Causes strategy like investment in the region and its prosperity. Economic prosperity in El Salvador is a win for all. The country continues to be a dynamic and complex relationship.
Honduras
The U.S. government is monitoring its relationship with Honduras closely. While there have been many positive points, there have also been some concerning movements recently when an interim attorney general was appointed in Congress without the required number of votes. Jacobstein voiced hope for return to regular order with the selection of a new attorney general position in the new year. He confirmed that the U.S. government will continue to work with the Honduran government to find the best way forward through dialogue and compromise.
Nicaragua
The Ortega-Murillo regime continues to repress democracy, threaten human rights, and deepen collaboration with other authoritarian regimes. The U.S. government continues to call for the release of those unjustly retained and pushes for accountability from the Ortega-Murillo regime. While measures have been taken such as sanctions and visa revocation, Jacobstein contended that more needs to be done.
The event was moderated by GAI founding director Alejandro Werner. A full recording of the event can be found on our YouTube channel.