Editing Central American Parliament (section)

== History ==
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The PARLACEN's origins date back to the [[Contadora group]], a project of the 1980s that sought to help resolve the [[civil war]]s in [[El Salvador]], [[Guatemala]], and [[Nicaragua]]. Although the Contadora group was disbanded in 1986, the idea of a greater Central American integration remained, giving rise to the [[Esquipulas Peace Agreement|Esquipulas II Agreement]], which among other things, created the Central American Parliament. The Treaty establishing the Central American Parliament and other political bodies was signed in 1987; its first formal session was carried out on 28 October 1991 in Guatemala City.

The PARLACEN as a political body in the region is part of the [[Central American Integration System]] (SICA), established by the Protocol of Tegucigalpa to the Charter of the Organization of American States (ODECA) signed on 13 December 1991. SICA has the fundamental aim to realize an integration that is political and ideological representative in a pluralistic democratic system that guarantees free elections and participation under equal conditions for political parties.

The historic Declaration of Esquipulas I, which was adopted by the presidents of the Central American states in the city of [[Esquipulas]], Guatemala on 25 May 1986, included the following declaration: "It is necessary to establish and complement activities that support understanding and cooperation with institutional structures. They shall make possible to strengthen the dialogue, the common development, democracy and pluralism as fundamental elements for peace in the region and the integration of Central America. Therefore the foundation of PARLACEN is necessary. Its members are elected freely by universal and direct elections through which the principle of political and participative pluralism is followed."

The agreement of PARLACEN and other political authorities was signed in October 1987 by Guatemala, El Salvador, [[Costa Rica]], Nicaragua, and [[Honduras]]. In the beginning, it was an instrument which came into force for only three states (Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras) on 1 May 1990. PARLACEN was formed on 28 October 1991 and has its head office in [[Guatemala City]], Guatemala.

The [[Legislative Yuan]], [[Taiwan]]'s legislative body, was granted permanent observer status at PARLACEN in 1999.<ref>[https://english.president.gov.tw/NEWS/4147 President Ma meets delegation led by Central American Parliament President Jose Leonel Vasquez Bucaro; Office of the President of the Republic of China press release of 30 April 2013]</ref> However PARLACEN signaled a shift in approach when on 28 April 2022 it made a statement to support a [[One China]] policy.<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 April 2022 |title=Parlacen pide integrar a China en el SICA y retirar a Taiwán como observador |url=https://www.articulo66.com/2022/04/28/parlacen-republica-popular-china/ |website=Articulo66 |language=es}}</ref> The following year, on 21 August 2023, the PARLACEN Plenary Assembly voted to revoke the permanent observer status of Taiwan's legislative body and include [[China]]'s [[National People's Congress]] as a permanent observer instead. The vote was made at the request of the Nicaraguan delegation which argued that "Taiwan lacks recognition as a sovereign state at the United Nations" and that the "observer status that Taiwan holds at PARLACEN is illegitimate due to lack of legal status", also noting [[United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 (XXVI)|a UN resolution]] concerning Chinese representation at the UN.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lopez |first=Ismael |date=2023-08-22 |title=Central America parliament expels Taiwan, makes China permanent observer |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/central-america-parliament-expels-taiwan-makes-china-permanent-observer-2023-08-22/ |access-date=2023-08-23}}</ref><ref>[https://www.facebook.com/parlacen/posts/pfbid0Yv6oMPMiQcLcuKbCk4nkNP5DSX57vsr1JaSQQj5Q9RLmHWizsYB5ZuqRaQtCzXKvl PARLACEN statement of 21 August 2023</ref> The Chinese government welcomed the development.<ref>[english.scio.gov.cn/pressroom/2023-08/23/content_106549803.htm ‘Spokesperson: NPC appreciates Central American Parliament's Taiwan-related move’; 23 August 2023 statement issued by The State Council Information Office, PRC]</ref>