Robert Torricelli: “I understand that the amendment offered by the gentleman from Massachusetts is well-intentioned, but it is flawed in its…”

“I understand that the amendment offered by the gentleman from Massachusetts is well-intentioned, but it is flawed in its logic. That members of the armed forces from throughout Latin America in countries with a history of human rights abuses and interference in politics come together with officers from the military of the United States with the greatest history of respecting political rights and human rights and by that association themselves become transgressors, it defies logic. In fact, it defies the facts. Last year in Venezuela, there was an attempted coup. It was officers trained by the United States who put it down. In El Salvador today, in implementing the peace accords, it is officers trained by the United States. When there was an attempted coup in Guatemala only 2 years ago, it was officers trained by the United States. Have there been transgressors? Of course, but something must explain that Latin America is fundamentally changing. Democracy is the coin of the realm. Rights are being respected again. Something is working, and American policy in this school is a part of that success.”