El Salvador is in the crosshairs of the international community

Approaches with senior officials in the country's government, signing an agreement with the State of Qatar and promoting infrastructure projects donated by China were among the measures that emerged on the foreign policy agenda of the current Nayib Bukele government during 2023.

Issues of respect for the rule of law and democracy could have been part of the conversations that took place during two visits by senior US officials. The first was Brian Nichols, Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs, who met with my agent on October 25, 2023.

The official participated in the meeting alongside US Ambassador William Duncan and Deputy Director of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) Marcela Escobari. Later, they met with various sectors of society, including the Human Rights Institute of the José Simeon Cañas University of Central America (IDHUCA).

On November 28, Bukele also held a meeting with the National Security Advisor to the Vice President of the United States, Philip Gordon, who stressed “the importance of respecting human rights and due process,” according to the report issued by the US State Department. State on the day following the meeting.

A few days ago, Trade Undersecretary Marisa Lagos visited the country to address the issue of direct investment and support work on developing a digital policy towards the goal of El Salvador becoming a regional technology hub.

Projects and agreements
On November 14, 2023, the government inaugurated the new building of the National Library of El Salvador (BINAES), one of the non-refundable cooperation projects awarded by the People's Republic of China. On November 30, he and Chinese Ambassador Zhang Yunhui laid the first stone for the National Stadium.

Last September, there was an official visit by the Emir of the State of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Officials from the two countries signed mutual cooperation agreements on issues of justice, agriculture and health.

During his speech before the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly on September 19. Bukele defended the dismissal of the Constitutional Chamber and the Prosecutor General, the dismissal of judges, the imposition of an emergency regime and other measures that international organizations questioned as violating rights.