SAIPAN — Galvin Sablan Deleon Guerrero, an independent candidate for CNMI delegate to the U.S. Congress, issued a statement Tuesday denouncing alleged federal export-control violations referenced in a recently unsealed criminal complaint, saying any criminal activity tied to Saipan threatens national security and fuels negative national attention that harms the commonwealth.
Deleon Guerrero said the CNMI welcomes law-abiding visitors but that illegal acts, including export-control violations and conspiracy to violate U.S. law, “have no place” in the community. He said he condemns actions that threaten national security, undermine the rule of law, or misuse the islands as a backdrop for criminal activity.
He said the CNMI is “proud to be a part of the United States family,” and argued that while “a few” people make the islands vulnerable by courting bad actors, the CNMI largely abides by U.S. laws and should be respected as a lawful and hardworking community. He said he supports law enforcement partners, including federal authorities, and called for thorough investigations and accountability under the law.
Deleon Guerrero also pointed to what he described as a decade of national and international media coverage that has cast the CNMI in a negative light, including stories tied to labor issues or isolated criminal activity. He said those stories do not define the commonwealth and do not reflect what he called a resilient and welcoming community with deep cultural roots.
He said the CNMI needs a delegate who will “tell our real story in DC,” and outlined priorities he said he would pursue if elected, including stronger partnerships between local and federal law enforcement to ensure compliance with U.S. laws, promoting what he called accurate and balanced narratives about the CNMI, and advocating for responsible and sustainable economic development.
