A congratulation letter from Dr. Edward Hazboun to Mr. Tony Saca, the president elect of El Salvador:

April 7, 2004
Mr. Tony Saca
President Elect
Ministerio de Gobernacion
Final 15 ave. Norte y 9a Calle Poniente
Centro de Gobernacion
San Salvador, El Salvador

Dear Mr. Saca:

Congratulations on being elected President of El Salvador!  It made us very proud to hear that someone from the well-known Saca family of Bethlehem has attained such a high position in El Salvador.  We commend you on the presidential program you are advocating for your country, especially your agenda related to improving the standard of living of all citizens and to providing safety and security for all. We are gratified by your strong belief in the friendship between El Salvador and the United States which you plan to maintain.

We would also like to congratulate your running mate, Ana Vilma Albanez de Escobar, for her great performance in the election campaign.

The Bethlehem Association is an organization in the United States that brings together families who emigrated to the Americas from Bethlehem.  We promote various social programs and communication between our members throughout North and Central America.  We also maintain close ties with our friends and relatives in Bethlehem and try to alleviate their current hardships.

We pray that your administration will do its utmost to protest the denial by Israel of the basic human rights of Christians in the Holy Land especially the construction of the huge separation wall around Bethlehem and the West Bank designed to isolate Palestinians and steal their land.
Some of our members live in Central and South America and have attended many Association reunions since 1985.  We are holding our 2005 Convention in Natal, Brazil and hope that many of the Bethlehem families in El Salvador will attend. To find out more about our organization and activities please look at our web site:  www.bethlehemassoc.org

On behalf of our new president David Handal and the Board of Directors of the Bethlehem Association, we wish you great success as the new President of El Salvador.

Yours sincerely,
Edward A. Hazbun
Board Member and former President