Lawmakers lament the government’s lack of respect for democracy. The president is urged to reconsider and not damage his ties with the United States.
The chorus of voices rebuking the President of the Republic, Nayib Bukele, for his undemocratic attitudes continues to grow.
Yesterday two influential members of the United States House of RepresentativesEliot Engel and Albio Sires sent a letter to Bukele urging him not to use the COVID-19 emergency “as a pretext” to weaken institutionality, disrespect the rule of law, violate human rights and trample on the Constitution as international standards on fundamental rights.
It is no small thing that these legislators speak out for these abuses of power in El Salvador. Engel, Democrat from New York, He is the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives. Sires, a Democrat from New Jersey, chairs the legislative committee on Western Hemisphere affairs. These committees are instrumental in determining the legislation regarding the country’s international relations, cooperation and strategic alliances.
In their letter, the congressmen let Nayib Bukele know that in order to maintain a strong relationship between El Salvador and its main cooperator, the United States, it is necessary that in addition to protecting public health, “human rights be defended and institutions respected democratic ”.
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This, as a result of actions that the president has spearheaded that challenge the balance and independence of power, in addition to disrespecting court rulings. These, in the opinion of the congressmen, “threatens the human rights of Salvadoran citizens and the democracy of their country.”
These claims come a few days after the president openly said from his Twitter account that will not know a resolution of the Constitutional Chamber that prohibits the automatic confinement of those who allegedly violate the mandatory household quarantine that the Executive instituted on March 21.
After this series of tweets, in which the president even accused the court of deciding in favor of the death of Salvadorans, his ministers joined the message and expressed that they will keep sending offenders to containment centers.
The Chamber, for its part, has recognized that quarantine is an appropriate measure and has called in its resolutions to respect it to avoid further COVID-19 infections. However, he has stressed to the government that measures outside the law cannot be ordered, especially if they include the detention of people without objective criteria or a law that supports it. This, however, has been met with an attitude of disobedience from the president.
As a result of the Chamber’s resolution and the order to maintain the arrests, the Office of the Human Rights Ombudsman has received 172 complaints of confinement outside the law. This is part of a package of 778 reports of violations of fundamental rights that have been forwarded to the Constitutional Chamber as a follow-up to its ruling.
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US lawmakers refer to the Chamber’s ruling, these records of abuse of power and the pressure that the president puts on the Legislative Assembly when it exercises its control. Because of these attitudes, they have urged the President to immediately rectify and “adhere to the Constitution of his country and to respect the authority of the Legislative and Judicial organs of El Salvador.”
“As the world confronts COVID-19, it is essential that leaders protect public health while also upholding human rights & respecting democratic institutions.”
Chairs @RepEliotEngel & @RepSires Urges Salvadoran Pres @nayibbukele to respect democratic norms.https://t.co/6AbBMFdeM9
– House Foreign Affairs Committee (@HouseForeign) April 29, 2020
Mandatory quarantine is essential, but …
The Chamber, the PDDH, the Legislative Assembly, representatives of Salvadoran civil society and now these US legislators have recognized the importance of home quarantine. In fact, the Bukele government was initially applauded for making timely decisions to prevent a spike in COVID-19 infections.
However, the execution of these measures has brought with it numerous violations of fundamental rights and a disdain for democratic norms that the country has had a hard time building and defending.
Eliot Engel (left) is one of the most important legislators in international relations. The presiding committee is responsible for legislation on international cooperation and assistance. Albio Sires heads the subcommittee that watches over the western hemisphere and where abuses of power in the continent are followed up. Photos / AFP
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Engel and Sires in their letter stress that “policies that promote social distancing are essential, but at the same time the protection of fundamental human rights must be ensured.”
ALSO: Nayib Bukele has turned to authoritarianism in a month of mandatory quarantine
For cruel treatment of inmates
“We are extremely disturbed by the recent actions taken against inmates in El Salvador, which could contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in the penal centers of his country,” said the lawmakers.
This is due to the images of half-naked and overcrowded inmates, after President Bukele ordered an emergency in all prisons due to a spike in homicides. These photographs have been circulated by the Salvadoran government itself in an effort to make its response known, but they have been seen internationally as signs of excess power and have led to extensive condemnations.
Engel and Sires warn that these actions do not guarantee effectiveness and can multiply COVID-19 infections among prisoners, prison staff and the communities where the latter move.
“The photographs are also unnecessarily degrading,” they criticize, and they summon Bukele for calling to use deadly force against gang members, without adhering to international standards. Therefore, they request that the Prosecutor’s Office be aware of any abuse of power.
TRANSLATED LETTER:
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