This is a compilation of voices from the participants of the documentary “9F: The return of the rifles”, a joint production of El Diario de Hoy and Factum Magazine, with support from journalists from El Faro.
Coup d’état, black day, crossing an irreversible border, an attack on democracy, a shameful event, a reflection of Nayib Bukele.
These are some of the words used to describe the armed attack on the Legislative Assembly commanded by the President of the Republic on February 9, 2020. This was stated by the protagonists of the documentary “9F, The Return of the Rifles” , a co-production of El Diario de Hoy and Revista Factum, with support from journalists from El Faro.
1 Mario Ponce, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly
“9F will be remembered as the day of the coup d’état against our democratic system, the day when an attempt was made, say, to destroy the system of freedoms and our democratic system.”
2 José Miguel Vivanco, Human Rights Watch
February 9 will be remembered as one of the most scandalous events in Central America of the past few decades. It is not a source of pride, but of national shame that a president has had the guts to turn to the military to try to intimidate the Legislative Assembly.
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3 Mari Carmen Aponte, former US Ambassador.
“I would say it was one of the lows in El Salvador’s history over the past 40 years. It was very painful. And I hope that all Salvadorans can work with an alert conscience so that it does not happen again ”.
4 Yanci Urbina, Deputy FMLN
“On February 9, I believe, the nature of this president was revealed, not only undemocratic, but also of a person who has done tremendous damage to the country.”
5 Martha Evelyn Batres, deputy of ARENA
“For Salvadorans it must be a day to remember, but a day when it doesn’t happen anymore. It was a sign of dictatorship, of authoritarianism towards democratic institutions ”.
6 Leonardo Bonilla, impartial deputy
“It was an absolute collapse of the constitutional order. Whether it was restored or not is still a matter of debate, but at that point there was a collapse of the constitutional order.
7 Rodolfo Gonzalez, former magistrate of the Constitutional Chamber
“It is the most serious event of constitutional change since the end of the war, and it did not end there.”
8 Bryan Avelar, Factum journalist
“It will be remembered as a day of grave threat in democratic terms to El Salvador, due to an impulse from a president who is authoritarian in itself.”
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9 Jessica Ávalos, Factum journalist
“For me, that date was a break because it showed us what a person with power is capable of and a person who doesn’t measure the consequences of his actions.”
10 Luis Parada, lawyer and ex-serviceman
“For me it was a black day in El Salvador’s history that marks the breaking of a border, a border that should not have been crossed.”
11 Lissette Lemus, photojournalist for El Diario de Hoy
“It will be remembered as the historic event that marked the beginning of a decline of the democratic state. It marked the beginning of something great ”.
12 Nelson Rauda, journalist from El Faro:
“It is the beginning of the democratic dismantling that Bukele tried to do when he had less than a year in office.”
13 Carlos Martínez, journalist from El Faro
“I think that reflects that day in a fairly faithful, fairly transparent way and is an excellent summary of who President Nayib Bukele is.”
14 Celia Medrano, human rights defender
“The 9F will be remembered as an immature, dangerous move that exposed the real profile of the current president of the republic.”
15 Jorge Beltrán, journalist for El Diario de Hoy
“It is a completely reprehensible, reprehensible fact. In a country where institutionality works fairly, I believe that those responsible should be prosecuted ”.
16 Eugenia Velásquez, journalist for El Diario de Hoy
“ As for my journalism career, it will be an unforgettable event because it reminded me of my childhood, with the war, and it will also remind me that at that time everything that was built in the country had to be trashed can go. can “.
17 Fernando Romero, Factum journalist
“I have never seen such a display of force, of military might, in a public institution where the armed forces do not belong. I felt it was an invasion. I felt that what the military was doing was a usurpation ”.