After stating that he has committed human rights violations, the warrant is binding. If Bukele doesn’t remove him, he would be committing the crime of disobedience, an FMLN deputy warns.
Deputies yesterday approved by 58 votes, 10 against and 3 abstentions the binding resignation of the director of police, Mauricio Arriaza Chicas, for ‘serious human rights violations’ committed before, during and after February 9, when he transferred the police force to the Legislative Assembly. to take over to pressure the delegates for a loan.
The Assembly approved a report detailing the “intimidating” role two days earlier against lawmakers and later, for their actions with the armed forces in the military takeover of the Assembly’s facilities.
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This document establishes that the dismissal advice is binding because he is head of public security and because of serious human rights violations.
“Article 159 of the constitution states that public security will be in charge of the national civil police, then it should be understood that in the case of Commissioner Mauricio Antonio Arriaza Chicas, director of the PNC, this resolution is binding and therefore, from be removed from office on this date, under penalty of assuming their respective civil, administrative and criminal responsibilities, ”reads one of the conclusions of the report approved by the Assembly yesterday.
Cristina Cornejo, of the FMLN, explained that Arriaza Chicas was no longer director of the PNC from the time the Assembly endorsed the report, that is, since yesterday. He added that if President Nayib Bukele fails to fulfill his mandate, he would also commit the crime of “disobedience”.
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According to Cornejo, the report does not have to go through the executive branch, that is, Bukele does not have a veto, as the Assembly only informs him of the decision taken. “Because it is a single report, it is only communicated to it,” he said.
Bukele spoke at an event in El Mozote yesterday. “I’m not going to listen to them because the constitution doesn’t give them that power,” he said.
Given what Cornejo says, if Bukele does not comply with the provisions of the Assembly, the crime of ‘disobedience’ under Article 322 of the Criminal Code will be punishable by imprisonment from six months to one year and special disqualification from the exercise of a job or charge of equal time.
Apparently, Bukele will challenge what has been approved by Congress as the government last night called for the inauguration of a police post in Corinto, Morazán, where Arriaza Chicas will always serve as police director.
Marcela Galeas, a criminal defense attorney, said that if Bukele ignores the injunction, he would have to go through a process to get the jurisdiction lifted and that the constitution outlines the steps to be followed if that was the case.
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The report’s conclusions reflect that the actions carried out before and during February 9, 2020, “ constituted an insult to the democratic system and the Salvadoran division of power and, although in a limited time, showed a genuine coup d’état against the Assembly. ”.
That the director of the police participated in the “intimidation of deputies” before and on the same date of the “belch, because he had even knocked on the doors of the houses of said officials and placed personnel there”.
As for the Secretary of Defense, Francis Merino Monroy, the Assembly says he should also “be removed from office … because he does not represent with his actions the nature and professionalism of the military institution, as provided for in the constitution. and the peace agreements. ” .
In the case of Bukele, delegates point out that a “hostile attitude” towards the Assembly has persisted, through its ministers, who refuse to cooperate in various legislative committees where their presence is required. Nidia Díaz, of the FMLN, said in plenary yesterday that Bukele committed the crime “sedition”.
The report says Bukele is using his ministers to “apply a new form of pressure to approve loans and not make the decision and implementation of the large funds the executive has had this year” transparent.
Despite all of the above, the report emphasizes that they will “urgently” notify the Public Prosecution Service of this report to investigate “the possible commission of crimes” by the officials mentioned here as well as Chief of the Presidential General Staff, Manuel Antonio , to involve. Acevedo and the Chief of the Joint Chiefs of the Armed Forces, Carlos Alberto Tejada Murcia.