El Salvador: democracy requires control of the exercise of power
3 May 2021
The Socialist International, the worldwide organisation of social democratic, labour and socialist parties, has learned with grave concern of the decision of the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador to dismiss the five members of the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice, in its first session the day before yesterday, as well as the Attorney General of the nation.
Ignoring and bypassing the division of the powers of the State, in a vote approved by a majority of 64 votes out of a total of 84 members, the Legislative Assembly, currently controlled by the New Ideas party of the President of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, voted for this dismissal, which was defended by the President of the country. For their part, the members of the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice of El Salvador declared the Assembly's decision unconstitutional by violating the republican, democratic and representative form of government.
Likewise, the Constitutional Chamber pointed out that "with a marked intention of suppressing effective controls towards the Executive and Legislative organ" the decision adopted by the members of the Assembly "has a negative impact on the control of the exercise of power" carried out by said Chamber.
The Socialist International fully shares what was expressed by the dismissed members of the Constitutional Chamber, that "only by controlling power, there is assurance that democracy and rights do not depend on the discretion of a person or a group."
Our International, which prioritises democracy as the highest value in the conduct of our governments and respect for their institutions, will closely follow the development of the management of the current government of El Salvador, at a time when this can only be achieved with the full protection of the freedoms and rights of all.