The American Embassy regrets the verdict in the case against Narciso “Chicho” Ventura Ramírez and three others on trial in Ahuachapan for the illegal smuggling of aliens into the United States.

All countries have the right to protect their borders against illegal smuggling. El Salvador does, and so does the United States.

The Embassy believes that the evidence submitted on the illegal activities of Mr. Ventura and his associates were more than sufficient to convict them. Using the same evidence, five people in the United States were found guilty of alien smuggling; two more were convicted in Mexico. We do not understand why Narciso Ventura, the leader of the smuggling network to which all the other smugglers were linked, was not found not guilty by the Salvadoran justice system.

Every year hundreds of people are attacked, raped, or abused as they try to make their way illegally to the United States. Some have even lost their lives. Alien smugglers are not interested in the well-being of the would-be immigrants; they are concerned only about money: the migrants are treated not as human beings but as merchandise.

Despite the court verdict, we will continue working with the Government of El Salvador and other governments in the region to fight alien smuggling and alien smugglers.