From 2 yrs. ago: State of Exception Confirms Divide between US Dems and GOP over Bukele
Wednesday, September 14, 2022
José Luis Sanz y Roman Gressier
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On Monday, the United States strongly criticized the human rights abuses committed under the state of exception in El Salvador during a special hearing convened by the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission of the House of Representatives. The hearing exposed differences between Republicans and Democrats, as well as in Democrats’ ranks, over what strategy Washington should pursue amid President Nayib Bukele’s authoritarian drift.
“Some of the measures taken [by El Salvador] during the state of exception contradict established human rights norms,” testified Emily Mendrala, deputy assistant secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs. “In private exchanges with the government of El Salvador, the Department [of State] has stressed the importance of respect for human rights, including guarantees of a fair trial,” she continued. “In a democracy, all those accused of crimes must face a transparent justice system.”
Scott Busby, deputy assistant secretary of State of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, underscored the hundreds of reports of arrests of innocent people carried out under the argument of fighting gangs, and questioned Salvadoran authorities’ assertions that cases are systematically reviewed in order to free the innocent. “Whatever current review mechanism is not working, or is working too slowly to be effective,” said Busby. “If [the state of exception] continues, we anticipate lasting impacts on human rights and the rule of law.”
Congressman James McGovern, a Massachusetts Democrat who conducted the hearing, took an even harder line, calling the state of exception “draconian.”
The congressman criticized Bukele’s policy of mass detentions, asserting that the total of more than 50,000 arrests in five months “has no equivalent in Latin America, not even in the worst days of military dictatorships.” He added, “It’s a number that makes me think of Turkey under Erdogan or Egypt under El-Sisi,” comparing the Salvadoran president with two heads of state internationally condemned for their repressive policy.
More:
https://elfaro.net/en/202209/el_salvador/26376/state-of-exception-confirms-divide-between-us-dems-and-gop-over-bukele