US Attorney-General Sessions visits El Salvador
SAN SALVADOR: US Attorney General Jeff Sessions visited El Salvador for meetings on violent gang activity and other crossborder law enforcement issues, stepping away from Washington after days of humiliating online and verbal scorn from President Donald Trump.
Sessions was to hold talks on the MS-13 gang active in El Salvador and plaguing parts of the US, as well as on immigration, drugs, and human trafficking, a US Justice Department statement said. The visit comes on the eve of a major speech by Trump in New York on the scourge of cross-border gang activity, especially by MS-13.
“This visit demonstrates the lengths to which the Trump administration will go in the mission to eradicate this gang and anyone who threatens the safety of our communities,” the statement said.
Sessions, a hardline Republican who shares Trump’s tough antiimmigration stance, was an early backer of the billionaire president, who appointed him to the post of attorney general. But over the past week, he has fallen out of favour, with Trump repeatedly and publicly attacking him.
The US president tweeted this week that Sessions was ‘VERY weak’ for not investigating his defeated rival Hillary Clinton for alleged ‘crimes.’
He also expressed frustration at Sessions for recusing himself from a ballooning investigation into suspected collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.
Observers said it appeared Trump was trying to force Sessions from office through public humiliation, rather than firing him outright, which could trigger political blowback and arguments that he was obstructing justice.
Sessions thus far has given no indication he intends to step down. In addition, Trump’s onslaught has unsettled some of his Republican supporters who also back Sessions for his hardline policies.
Salvadoran officials said Sessions would meet with President Salvador Sanchez Ceren and Foreign Minister Hugo Martinez. — AFP