Guatemala’s President to promote U.S. amnesty to Obama
Prensa Libre (Guatemala City, Guatemala) 2/17/10
Guatemala’s President to promote U.S. migratory reform to Obama
Guatemala’s President, Alvaro Colom, said this morning that he will seek to have his counterparts in Central America to lobby jointly for a meeting or at least a phone call with the U.S. President to speak
to him about the migratory reform. The opportunity for Colom to lobby with the regional heads of state will be the “Rio Group” meeting to be held in Cancun, Mexico, next week. (This is the Summit Meeting of Latin American and Caribbean Nations, an organization that excludes Canada and the United States.)
During his “Presidential Dispatch” radio program, originating this time from Washington, Colom said, “We are going to ask our companions and friends, presidents of Central America, to seek a meeting with President Obama or a phone communication, so that he may see that we are united.” Guatemala promotes an 11 point initiative so the United States may be aware of it and may take it into account when the time for migratory reform debate comes around, for which reason he has sought the backing of Central American countries.
Benjamin Monterroso, SEIU (Service Employees International Union) and migrant communities leader in the United States, stated in the same radio program that it is necessary to promote lobbying in the United States Senate because he deemed that the chances of starting the immigration reform debate cannot be after March 21st; otherwise, the issue will be delayed three or four years.