Dear US Ambassador Solomonte
by Quenby Wilcox | September 21, 2010 at 4:21 PM
September 20, 2010
Ambassador Alan D. Solomonte
American Embassy in Madrid
calle Serrano, 75
28006 Madrid, SPAIN
Dear Ambassador Solomonte,
As an American experiencing difficulty within the Spanish judicial system I am taking the liberty of contacting you. While I have written to Consul General concerning my particular case, I am writing to you because my situation is not an isolated incident. It is representative of problems that more and more Americans expatriates are experiencing within foreign jurisdictions, and therefore becomes a policy concern for the US government, US State Department, and US Embassies.
Since the death of Franco and the signing of the Spanish constitution, the antiquated norms and standards which have traditionally served to sustain corruption and oppression in Spain have changed, but not disappeared. Spanish citizen’s no longer fear indiscriminate arrest, torture or death by authorities, but immigrant and foreign populations do not enjoy these same freedoms; as documented in reports by Amnesty International and the US State Department.
Organizations in the USA and Europe recognize that domestic abuse is a human rights violation. Nevertheless, it is repeatedly argued by officials and civil servants of these countries that individual cases are nothing more than “civil disputes.” In my own case this has repeatedly been the stance of Spanish law enforcement officials, judges, lawyers, and US State Department representatives.
As long as large dichotomies between rhetoric and reality exist within government institutions, systematic torture and genocide of women and children will continue to plague this world.
Thank you in advance for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Quenby Wilcox
