Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) traveled to El Salvador last weekend to meet with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, criticizing President Joe Biden for “alienating” Central American and other allies with combative policies.
Bukele is currently engaged in a campaign to eradicate the country’s largest gangs, most prominently Mara Salvatrucha-13 (MS-13) and 18th Street. His country has been in a “state of exception” that has restricted civil liberties such as freedom of assembly for months, allowing police to arrest thousands of people suspected of having gang ties. The campaign is widely popular in El Salvador, where nearly 70 percent of citizens want Bukele to run for reelection even though he legally cannot do so.
As Latin America and the Caribbean turn towards left-leaning, anti-American governments, El Salvador remains an important strategic ally in Central America.
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) traveled to San Salvador and met with President Nayib Bukele. Rubio and Bukele discussed the president’s ongoing security initiatives, the importance of democratic order in our region, as well as mutual cooperation between the U.S. and El Salvador.
“I had a productive meeting with President Bukele and U.S. Ambassador Duncan during my first official visit to El Salvador. At a time when the Biden Administration actively alienates our allies and opts to appease murderous dictators in our region, it’s important we stand in support of those democratic leaders in our hemisphere who are actually leading the fight against brutal gangs and criminals in Central America. For the future of our bilateral relations, it’s essential that El Salvador’s democratic institutions remain strong.”
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