On October 7, 2024, El Salvador and the United States strengthened their bilateral partnership by signing a Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement (CMAA). The agreement was signed by Benjamin Mayorga, Director General of Customs in El Salvador, and Troy Miller, Acting Commissioner of the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the time.
The CMAA was approved internally in El Salvador by Executive Agreement No. 1617/2024, which was ratified by the Legislative Assembly on November 12, through Decree No. 141 of 2024. The CMAA and the decree were published in El Salvador’s Diario Oficial on November 14.
The agreement seeks to strengthen border security and facilitate trade between the countries by fostering collaboration in combatting transnational crimes like smuggling, drug trafficking, and illegal arms trade and by enhancing efficiency and transparency in customs administration.
Key highlights of the CMAA include
- Deployment of CBP personnel at Salvadoran airports to pre-inspect flights bound for the United States.
- Training initiatives to enhance the skills of customs officials in El Salvador.
- Enforcement measures to suppress customs violations.
- Provisions to encourage the prevention, monitoring, and reporting of custom violations.
- Exchanges of information, including on best practices in customs administration.
Significance of the Agreement
Miller stated that the CMAA “will allow us to trade securely and quickly, and to work against those who are trying to violate the laws at our borders.”
Luis Maradiaga, Deputy Director of Customs in El Salvador, emphasized that the improvements would significantly enhance trade efficiency and security, ensuring Salvadoran exports and imports meet international standards. He noted the agreement will streamline clearance processes for trusted operators, benefiting Salvadoran companies with reduced processing times.
The United States remains El Salvador’s top trading partner, with 32.6% of Salvadoran imports originating from the U.S., according to Maradiaga. Key imports from the U.S. include fuels, machinery, cereals, plastics, and textiles, while Salvadoran exports to the U.S., which are 31.6% of the country’s total exports, primarily comprise clothing, cane sugar, coffee, and food preparations.
Javier Posada, El Salvador’s Minister of Finance, said the agreement will “contribute to the simplification, automation and transparency of the import, export and transit processes of goods, which brings important benefits to trade operators, facilitating the clearance flows of their operations and promoting compliance with foreign trade regulations.”
Walter Aleman, a member of El Salvador’s Legislative Assembly, stated that the agreement is “key to combating border crimes and streamlining the process of shipping goods.”
El Salvador’s Foreign Minister, Alexandra Hill, described the agreement as “one more step towards strengthening and consolidating” bilateral relations with the United States, and as “a solid framework for mutual assistance in the detection, investigation and prevention of any type of customs violation, which is an important pillar for the protection of our borders and also the prevention and halting of any transnational crime.”
Stephania Alvarez, Law Library of Congress
February 6, 2025
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