“We hope that President Bukele will restore a strong division of powers, where they have been eroded, and demonstrate the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability,” was the strong message from the State Department spokesman.
In a press conference this Monday morning, US State Department spokesman Ned Price expressed concern in his country’s government about the erosion of the separation of powers in El Salvador.
“We hope that President Bukele reinstates a strong division of powers where they have been eroded, and that he demonstrates the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability to the people of El Salvador,” said Price. from America’s middle voice, the US government’s international news service.
SEE: Corruption and impunity are “endemic” to El Salvador, according to US government report
According to this note, the concerns of Price and the State Department coincide with the constant criticism of Nayib Bukele’s government in El Salvador.
On the one hand, Bukele was reminded of constant attempts to weaken the rule of law and the institutions that are supposed to control its power. An example of this was the military takeover of the Legislative Assembly on February 9, 2020, something the State Department pointed to in May last year as a significant democratic setback.
Likewise, the US government and several congressmen from this country have indicated attempts to silence the independent Salvadoran press and to be critical of the administration of the government.
ALSO: US Special Envoy for the Northern Triangle, Ricardo Zúñiga, will visit El Salvador to verify causes of irregular migration
Finally, there are concerns about evidence of corruption within the Bukele administration, particularly regarding the management of emergency funds to address the COVID-19 pandemic.
Democracy remains a priority
In his press conference, Price said they will continue to “emphasize to political leaders the importance of democratic institutions.”
Democracy and anti-corruption are priorities of the Biden government for El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. By addressing these issues, according to the US government, the irregular migration of hundreds of Central Americans to that North American country can be prevented.
In addition, the special envoy for the Northern Triangle, Ricardo Zúñiga, will travel to El Salvador and Guatemala between April 5 and 8 this year to address the causes of illegal migration from and through Central American countries.
It should be noted that Zúñiga’s visit to El Salvador will take place in the context of Bukele’s attacks on Democratic Congressman Norma Torres after her criticism of the migration policies of the Central American governments.