Buckel speaks of “internal and external enemies” before the Armed Forces

After receiving criticism from national and international organizations and governments around the world for dismissing magistrates and attorney generals, on Soldier Day, Naik Bukele thanked the Salvador Army for defending the country from “internal and external enemies.”

This expression is not well seen in the context of lawyers and human rights defenders. “An instruction to turn the government’s critical voices into targets of military intelligence?” Former human rights lawyer David Morales was criticized.

“As General Commander and on behalf of the people of Salvador, whom I represent as President, I would like to reiterate our gratitude for helping to save our homeland from external and internal enemies,” Buckell said at an event commemorating the 197th anniversary of the Foundation.

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Although the event was recorded on video, the Gaza Presidential Twitter account also shared some phrases from the president. One of them said: “The attacks are not external now, they are now from an internal, jealous minority …”. A few hours later the phrase was removed from the social network.

In his speech, Buckell did not clarify who those enemies were or the reasons why he called them.

Jose Maria Dogeira, father of UCA’s director of human rights (IDHUCA), responded to the president’s statement by saying that having a different opinion does not make those who think so “enemies.” “In a democracy, criticism does not turn anyone into an internal enemy. Differences should not be an obstacle to constructive dialogue or social friendship.”

Buckley was at the crossroads of the international community after the events of May 1, when a legislature united by the guidance of the executive sacked the constitution chamber and four judges from the attorney general.

Also read: Ibero-US courts reject dismissal of court judges

For his part, ITHUCA attorney Manuel Escaland considers, “If the officers above feel untouchable, those below have the same attitude. Police on the streets may think of attending with young people or people at the window. There we lose legal protection, and secondly, we lose the guarantee of justice. ”

This is not the first time Bukel has praised the Armed Forces in his speeches. He used it to invade the legislature on February 9, 2020.

Awareness Governments
In the international community, the United Nations (UN), the Organization of the United Nations (OAS) and even the governments of the United States, Germany, Canada and the European Union have spoken out against him. They called it the “Breakdown of the Democratic Order” in El Salvador.

But Buckell replied: “We clean our house. It has nothing to do with your business. “

Buckell invited ambassadors and embassy leaders to a meeting at the Presidential Palace, a meeting in which no representative of the US government appeared, and clarified that the form of government that had begun would continue because the country “needed the changes they needed”.

Further: Magistrate Avilas: “He had written a resignation for me and asked me to sign it because it was the best thing.”
But international condemnation is not stopping, and the tone is increasing more and more. US Vice President Kamala Harris said her government should “respond” to this fact.

While in the country, more than 30 law enforcement agencies have condemned the government’s dismissal of judges. In it they see an authoritarian government and the risk that it will restrict civil liberties.