Sample Call Script for El Salvador Elections Sign-On Letter

1) Call the Congressional Switchboard at 202-225-3121 and ask to be connected to your Representative (They will ask for your ZIP code and patch you through) [Can't make a call? Click here to send an email]

2) Identify yourself as a constituent and ask to speak to whomever handles foreign affairs. You can say you are calling about the upcoming Presidential elections in El Salvador.

3) Use the following script as a guide. Feel free to personalize with your own experience!

Hi. I am a YOUR TOWN/CITY resident. As you may know, El Salvador is having presidential elections on February 3. Representatives Grijalva, Beyer and Serrano are circulating a sign-on letter calling on the Trump Administration to respect El Salvador's democratic process and not to interfere in support of right-wing candidates as Republican administrations have done in the past. Have you seen the letter?

If yes: Great, do you know if SO-AND-SO is planning to sign on? (Feel free to add more details from below if they seem on the fence)

If no: The letter is basically calling on the Administration to remain neutral in El Salvador’s election as a way to ensure that Salvadorans are able to freely cast their votes on Election Day.

There is, unfortunately, a long history of intervention on behalf of U.S. Republicans to help the Salvadoran right-wing during elections season. For example, during the Bush administration, Republicans threatened to deport Salvadorans and cut off money that Salvadorans send home to their families if the leftist party won the election. Even though this was not true, it made front page news in El Salvador.

It's a very ugly scare tactic but unfortunately, it works, since so many Salvadorans have family here and don't feel like they can jeopardize the country's relationship with the US.

We are already seeing lots of threats from the Trump Administration, the State Department and certain Members of Congress, including Senator Rubio, to cut aid to El Salvador in response to a variety of decisions the progressive government there have made.

We need Members of Congress like SO-AND-SO to speak out and let the Salvadoran people know that the US respects their democracy.

It’s also an important way to send a message to the Salvadoran community here in YOUR CITY that Congress is paying attention to the situation in their home country and working to support democratic progress there.

Do you think Representative SO-AND-SO would be interested in signing on?

Details: The letter closes on Friday, January 25 and the person to contact to sign on is Marilyn Zepeda in Congressman Grijalva's office.

Thank you so much.

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