Omaha welcomes first ever El Salvador consulate amid growing Salvadoran population

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - A brand new consulate in the metro aims to bring huge relief to the Salvadoran community here in Omaha -- especially for those who have had to travel miles just to take care of legal matters.

That is what Guadalupe Murcia had to do for four years.

“I had to travel a couple of times in a span of four years. I had to travel to Chicago and Sioux City, Iowa,” Murcia said.

She says she feels like a big weight was lifted off her shoulders.

“We’re blessed now that we can easily come down here in our own time in comparison to having to travel so many miles,” Murcia said.

Many Salvadorans in Omaha like Murcia can agree obtaining certain legal documents from El Salvador can be exhausting. For Murcia, it typically took days of travel. She was constantly worried about missing work and finding someone to take care of her kid while she was away.

“Having to travel takes a lot of sacrifice and time,” Murcia said.

The consulate will serve as a pinpoint place to renew, passports, obtain birth certificates, and other legal procedures.

Javier Menendez, the Consul of the Republic of El Salvador for Nebraska said in Nebraska there are approximately 20,000 Salvadorans who face the same issue as Murcia.

“The objective is to meet the needs of each Salvadoran in Omaha,” Menendez said.

El Salvador Consulate plans to also serve as an in-person voting place for the upcoming 2024 elections. With its opening, the number of Salvadoran consulates in the United States reaches 27.

Copyright 2023 WOWT. All rights reserved.