Loading....

End U.S. Military & Security Aid to El Salvador & Central America
Let's make our demands heard as the Senate finalizes their budget proposal!

On March 27, 2022, the Salvadoran government suspended constitutional rights for the Salvadoran people under a nationwide State of Exception. Today in El Salvador, under President Bukele's proclaimed War on Gangs. a person can be arrested without a warrant and held in extended pre-trial detention without charges. Over 50,000 people have been detained, including several leaders of unions and other popular movement organizations.

Though it’s clear that Bukele is using state security forces to intimidate and repress both opposition voices and the population at large, the U.S. continues arming and training the police and military as the largest foreign supporter of Salvadoran security forces.

The Senate has yet to finalize their budget proposal for next year. That’s why we need to flood them now with demands to stop fueling repression in El Salvador and throughout Central America.

Send an email or make a call to your senators today!

Why is this so urgent?

The Bukele government is denying prisoners access to basic rights, including food. Meanwhile, human rights organizations have received more than 4,000 reports of human rights violations at the hands of military and police, including the deaths of at least 80 people while in custody due to violence, torture, or a lack of medical attention.

Since Bukele came into office, he has re-militarized civilian life in El Salvador, dramatically expanded the size and scope of the military, and secured a military budget higher than any point during the 12-year civil war. These actions are direct violations of the 1992 Peace Accords.

That’s why solidarity, faith and human rights organizations are calling on Congress to withhold military and police aid and training not only to El Salvador, but also to Honduras and Guatemala, where human rights abuses at the hands of the U.S.-trained security forces continue with impunity.

Though it's not nearly enough, the House did include some additional new restrictions on police and military training in Central America in their budget proposal. But the Senate proposal has no such restrictions (and even rolls back some limitations on military assistance that were already won!) So, we need your help to keep up the pressure!

Six people posing in front of El Salvador and United States flags wearing business attire or military and police uniforms

Meeting of U.S. Embassy and Salvadoran Military personnel

We just need few pieces of information to connect you with your Senators. You will have the option to make a phone call or send an email on the next screen.

PLEASE NOTE: If you are asked to submit a "Title" after you click "Take Action," this information is being requested (and the limited list of choices offered) by your legislator's office, not by CISPES. If it were up to us, nothing would be required or you would be able to self-identify as you choose!

First Name*

Last Name*

Email Address*

Address, line 1*

City*

State*

Zip Code*

Keep me in the loop with Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador

Send your message

Organization Name
Org Address Line 1
Org City, Org State Org Zip

Get in touch! Org Email or Org Phone

End U.S. Military & Security Aid to El Salvador & Central America
Let's make our demands heard as the Senate finalizes their budget proposal!

Making a phone call to your Senator's DC office and sending a follow-up email is the most effective way to pressure your Senator from home! (You can also click "Skip Calling" below and go right to sending an email)

To make a call, enter your phone number and receive an automatic call from CISPES that will give you instructions and patch you through directly to your Senator's office (pretty cool, huh?!).
If you would prefer to make your own call, call your Senator's DC office or the Congressional switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected.

1. To make a call to your Senators, call their DC office or call the Congressional switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and they will connect you (if you don't know who your Senators are is, no problem! You can give them your ZIP code and they will let you know and put you through to either office).

2. Introduce yourself and where you live and ask to speak to the staffer in charge of Foreign Affairs about US funding in Central America. If you get through to the staffer, use the Call Script below. It is more likely that you will only be able to leave a message, in which case you can also use the script below.

Call Script

Hello, my name is __________ and I am calling from [___YOUR TOWN/CITY___]. Could I speak with the person in charge of Foreign Affairs? [If they are unavailable, ask to leave the following as a message]

I am calling because I am extremely concerned about the current democratic and human rights crisis in El Salvador. As you have seen in the news, the Salvadoran government has suspended fundamental constitutional rights and has arrested over 50,000 people without warrants. Many have been held for months without charges, and over 80 people have been killed while in custody.

So, it's very concerning to me that the U.S. has been - and continues to - provide training, equipment, and support to both military and police.

I am calling to encourage Senator _______ to take action to restrict military and security aid to El Salvador in upcoming budget. The same should be true for Guatemala and Honduras where popular movements are calling for an end to militarization and repression. Will Senator _______________ advocate for withholding security aid to Central America in next year’s budget?

[If the rare case the person has questions and/or wants to discuss these issues further, tell them someone from CISPES will follow up. Let us know and we can set up a follow up meeting with that office.]

Hello, my name is ___________ and I am calling from [___YOUR TOWN/CITY___]. I am calling on Senator [name] to take action to withhold military and police aid to Central America in next year’s budget.

Throughout the region, security forces trained and financed by the United States intimidate, disappear, and even kill human rights and land defenders with impunity.

In El Salvador, there is a massive human rights crisis happening right now after the president suspended constitutional rights in March. More than 50,000 people have been arrested without warrants and the United Nations, Amnesty International and countless other organizations have denounced widespread human rights violations including extrajudicial killings and torture by both the police and military.

It is unacceptable that the United States continues to arm and train these security forces. Will Senator [NAME] to take action to withhold police and military assistance in next year's budget?

Voicemail Script:

Hello, my name is ___________ and I am calling from [___YOUR TOWN/CITY___]. I am calling on you to take action to withhold military and security aid to El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras in next year’s budget. There is a massive human rights crisis happening right now in El Salvador after the president suspended constitutional rights and has arrested over 50,000 people without warrants, and over 80 people have been killed while in custody. I am calling on you to take action to withhold military and police assistance to Central America in next year's budget and end U.S. complicity in these human rights abuses. Thank you.

Please contact your senators!

These are the talking points that will have the biggest impact.

Voicemail Script (most Senate offices will send you right to voicemail - leaving a message is really helpful!)

Hello, my name is ___________ and I am calling from [___YOUR TOWN/CITY___]. I am calling on you to take action to withhold military and security aid to El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. The police and military in El Salvador are committing widespread human rights abuses, including reports of torture, after the president suspended constitutional rights. It is urgent that the United States stop fueling these human rights abuses by continuing to arm and train security forces in Central America. I hope you will speak out against this crisis and support calls to withhold military and security aid to Central America in next year's budget. Thank you.

If you do reach someone, use the following script:

Hello, my name is __________ and I am calling from [___YOUR TOWN/CITY___]. Could I speak with the person in charge of Foreign Affairs? [If they are unavailable, ask to leave the following as a message]

I am calling to encourage Senator [name] to take action to withhold military and police aid to Central America in next year’s budget.

Throughout the region, security forces trained and financed by the United States are continuing to intimidate, disappear, and even kill human rights and land defenders with impunity.

In El Salvador there is a massive human rights crisis happening after the president suspended constitutional rights in March. More than 45,000 people have been arrested without warrants and the United Nations, Amnesty International and countless other organizations have denounced widespread human rights violations including extrajudicial killings and torture by both the police and military.

It is unacceptable that the United States continues to arm and train these security forces. So, I am calling on Senator [NAME] to speak out against these abuses, to publicly support calls to withhold military and police assistance, and to encourage members of the Appropriations committee to take action to suspend assistance in next year's budget. Thank you.

[If the rare case the person has questions and/or wants to discuss these issues further, tell them someone from CISPES will follow up. Let us know and we can set up a follow up meeting with that office.]

Senate Appropriators

These are the talking points that will have the biggest impact.

Voicemail Script (most Senate offices will send you right to voicemail - leaving a message is really helpful!)

Hello, my name is ___________ and I am calling from [___YOUR TOWN/CITY___]. I am calling on you to take action as a member of the Appropriations committee to withhold military and security assistance to El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras in next year's budget. In El Salvador, the police and military are committing widespread human rights abuses, including reports of torture, after the president suspended constitutional rights. It is urgent that the United States stop arming and training these security forces. I want to see Senator [________] advocate for withholding U.S. police and military cooperation to El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras in next year's budget. Thank you.

If you do reach someone, use the following script:

Hello, my name is __________ and I am calling from [___YOUR TOWN/CITY___]. Could I speak with the person in charge of Foreign Affairs? [If they are unavailable, ask to leave the following as a message]

I am calling to encourage Senator [name] to take action to withhold military and police aid to Central America in next year’s budget. I was extremely disappointed to learn that there are no cuts over these funds being proposed in the Senate Appropriations bills.

Throughout the region, security forces trained and financed by the United States are continuing to intimidate, disappear, and even kill human rights and land defenders with impunity.

In El Salvador there is a massive human rights crisis happening after the president suspended constitutional rights in March. More than 50,000 people have been arrested without warrants and the United Nations, Amnesty International and countless other organizations have denounced widespread human rights violations including extrajudicial killings and torture by both the police and military.

It is unacceptable that the United States continues to arm and train these security forces. So, I am calling on Senator [NAME] to take immediate action as a member of the Appropriations Committee to maintain existing limitations on Foreign Military Financing and to further suspend police and military training and assistance to El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras in next year's budget.

Thank you.

[If the rare case the person has questions and/or wants to discuss these issues further, tell them someone from CISPES will follow up. Let us know and we can set up a follow up meeting with that office.]

Enter your phone number to be connected to these recipients.

Click "Connect Me Now" when you are ready to begin. You will receive a call from 202-521-2510. Follow the audio prompts to be connected to the recipients.

Phone Number*

Ext.

Organization Name
Org Address Line 1
Org City, Org State Org Zip

Get in touch! Org Email or Org Phone

Sorry, we're not targeting any representatives in your district. But you can still help!

The comment period for this document is now closed. But, you can still help!

SHARE

SHARE

Sorry, we're not targeting any representatives in your district. But you can still help!

The comment period for this document is now closed. But, you can still help!

SHARE

Your messages have been sent!