IV
106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. RES. 404
Congratulating the people and Governments of Argentina, Chile, Guatemala,
and Uruguay for completing their recent and successful democratic na-
tional elections.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 27, 2000
Mr. GALLEGLY submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the
Committee on International Relations
RESOLUTION
Congratulating the people and Governments of Argentina,
Chile, Guatemala, and Uruguay for completing their re-
cent and successful democratic national elections.
Whereas on October 24, 1999, approximately 20 million Ar-
gentines, representing 80 percent of all registered voters
went to the polls, and elected a new President for the
first time in 10 years;
Whereas this election, the fourth successive free Presidential
election in Argentina since democracy was restored in
1983, was celebrated as a true consolidation of democ-
racy by both major political parties;
Whereas on November 23, 1999, with close to 95 percent
of the 2.2 million registered voters going to the polls, the
people of Uruguay elected their first President since the
•HRES 404 IH
implementation of new constitutional reforms enacted in
1996;
Whereas this election, the fourth consecutive free, democratic,
Presidential election held in Uruguay since the end of
military rule, reflects the deepening of democracy in that
country;
Whereas on November 7, 1999, the people of Guatemala went
to the polls to elect national leaders for the first time
since the signing of the 1996 peace accords which ended
over 30 years of internal conflict;
Whereas on December 26, 1999, 41 percent of the registered
voters of Guatemala completed the second round of what
has been called the most important election in Guate-
mala’s modern history by electing a new President;
Whereas on January 16, 2000, with close to 7 million of the
8 million registered voters going to the polls, the people
of Chile completed their second round of voting for a new
executive and elected the first Chilean President rep-
resenting the center-left coalition since 1973;
Whereas the January election represents rising expectations
that a strong economic and cultural consolidation may
take place in the southern portion of Latin America;
Whereas all of these elections demonstrate the strength and
diversity of each nation’s democracy and signal a growing
confidence that all political parties, however diverse, can
work cooperatively to strengthen the consolidation of de-
mocracy in the hemisphere; and
Whereas these open, fair, and democratic elections should be
broadly commended: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
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(1) congratulates the people and Governments
of Argentina, Chile, Guatemala, and Uruguay for
the successful completion of democratic multiparty
elections for President;
(2) congratulates Presidents Fernando de La
Rua of Argentina, Jorge Battle of Uruguay, Alfonso
Portillo of Guatemala, and Ricardo Lagos of Chile
on their recent election victories and their strong
commitment to democracy and free-market oriented
economies;
(3) commends all the citizens and political par-
ties of Argentina, Chile, Guatemala, and Uruguay
for their participation in the democratic process and
their strong support for the strengthening of their
democracies; and
(4) reaffirms United States friendship with
each nation and our unequivocal commitment to en-
couraging democracy and peaceful development
throughout Latin America.
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