Salvadorans march against President Bukele on independence day

By Laura Gamba

BOGOTA, Colombia (AA) - Thousands of people took to the streets of El Salvador's capital Wednesday to protest against President Nayib Bukele.

With banners reading “The street will not shut up until the dictator is gone” and “The constitution shall be respected, the people demand it,” Salvadorans gathered at different points in the city of San Salvador as the country marked its 200th independence anniversary.

Growing opposition has erupted on social media to various measures adopted by the Bukele government, including use of the cryptocurrency Bitcoin as legal tender and wanting to wield power in an arbitrary manner.

As of Sept. 7, Bitcoin became the official currency of El Salvador alongside the US dollar, a move that has ignited controversy.

Although the government has said the measure will boost economic development and benefit those living abroad by saving millions of dollars in commissions on remittances, international bodies such as the International Monetary Fund have warned against the adoption of the cryptocurrency, saying it could increase risks for financial institutions.

Polls show that most Salvadorans are skeptical about the use of Bitcoin and wary about how stable their earnings will be.

The right-wing leader, who has been in power since 2019, has also been heavily criticized for undermining democracy by adopting legal reforms to extend his presidency.

In May this year, Bukele ordered the removal of five Supreme Court justices after the Salvadoran judiciary ruled that the president’s use of emergency powers during the coronavirus pandemic was unconstitutional. On Twitter, Bukele defended the firings as “getting our house in order.” ​​​​​​​The new appointees have ruled that the president can run for reelection. His current government ends in 2024.

On Wednesday, Time magazine selected Bukele among the 100 most influential people of 2021.

Although he appears in the "leaders" section next to US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping, his profile is not necessarily praiseworthy.

Journalist Daniel Lizarraga, who wrote the profile on Bukele, said the president "cannot stand criticism or opposition" and recalled when he arrived at his country's parliament surrounded by armed soldiers to force legislators to approve his budget.