Biden officials and Trump allies attended Nayib Bukele\'s inauguration despite concerns from human rights groups.
Self-described as the “world’s coolest dictator,” Nayib Bukele was sworn in Saturday for a second term as president of El Salvador in a move widely denounced as illegitimate. El Salvador’s constitution limits presidents to one term and prohibits consecutive reelections. However, a 2021 Constitutional Court ruling approved Bukele’s reelection bid after his allies in the Salvadoran National Assembly illegally removed all five magistrates from the court and replaced them with Bukele supporters.
Despite growing concerns for Bukele’s authoritarianism, the Biden administration sent a high-level delegation, led by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, to the inauguration. Just three years ago, Biden officials had refused to meet with Bukele in D.C. amidst concerns of his anti-democratic rule. Also in attendance at Saturday’s inauguration in San Salvador was Argentina’s right-wing President Javier Milei, Donald Trump Jr.
Just a few days before — two days before inauguration, if I’m not mistaken, the government announced arrests against nine historic FMLN leaders, accusing them of plotting to plant bombs throughout the capital. And the audio that the police posted online didn’t speak of that in those terms. It spoke of a product that could not fail, etc. And one legal aid organization that knows the defendants asserted that they were speaking of firecrackers that are often used at protests.
So, the broader context or the undertones of inauguration have been very tense, hostile at times. And at inauguration itself, there were snipers on the rooftop, on rooftops close to the event, the military checking people who were coming in and out. So, the whole context definitely had militaristic undertones to it.Roman, as we begin to wrap up, you’ve got Bukele detaining over 80,000 people since 2022, many without charge, in his so-called war on gangs.
And as for the Trump orbit, there has — Bukele was very close to the Trump administration and to U.S. Ambassador Ronald Johnson, who was there. There was an extensive cooperation on migration, efforts to stop migration to the U.S. at Mexico border. And in recent months, you could say in the past year, as things have been particularly delicate with the Biden administration and there was a lot of uncertainty as to the tenor of the relationship, Bukele was very openly courting the U.S. far right.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
El Salvador's pro-Bitcoin president Nayib Bukele sworn in for a second termOn June 1, El Salvador's pro-Bitcoin President Nayib Bukele was sworn in for another five-year term at the National Palace in San Salvador.
Read more »
Chad's military leader sworn in as president after disputed electionChad has sworn in Mahamat Deby Itno as the country's president, finalizing a disputed transition to democracy following his father's death in 2021, officials say.
Read more »
Top Vietnamese security official sworn in as president, worrying human rights groupsVietnam’s National Assembly has confirmed the country’s top security official, To Lam, as its new president. Human rights groups worry Lam could further suppress citizens' liberties.
Read more »
Lai Ching-te is sworn in as Taiwan’s new presidentJanis Mackey Frayer is a Beijing-based correspondent for NBC News.
Read more »
Pictures: Russia’s Putin Sworn in for Fifth Term as President After Barely-Contested ElectionSource of breaking news and analysis, insightful commentary and original reporting, curated and written specifically for the new generation of independent and conservative thinkers.
Read more »