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#ElSalvador | #Breaking: On day 1 of the new Legislative Assembly, controlled by Bukele's party, Nuevas Ideas, began the process of dismissing the magistrates of the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court. Experts warn of a possible technical coup d'etat.
With 64 of 84 votes — 55 of them from Nuevas Ideas — the plenary approved a motion to begin the removal process. The deputies from Arena, FMLN, and Nuestro Tiempo have requested the floor, but so far they have not been allowed to speak before the plenary.
Response from Biden’s National Security Council Senior Director for the Western Hemisphere: “That’s not how things are done.” https://twitter.com/cartajuanero/status/1388655062164152324
“What you’re doing tonight, with the majority that the people gave you, is a coup d’etat.” René Portillo Cuadra, deputy from ARENA.
Salvadoran ambassador to the U.S., on the Constitutional Chamber’s pandemic rulings: “When they were asked to rule in the defense of life, they turned their backs on the country. One of the most rotten and corrupt powers to have existed. Let’s cleanse the Constitutional Chamber.” https://twitter.com/milenamayorga/status/1388642448398766080
UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges & Lawyers: "I condemn the steps taken by those in power to dismantle and weaken the judicial independence of the magistrates and dismiss the members of the Constitutional Chamber." https://twitter.com/UNIndepJudges/status/1388666466325565441?s=19
García-Sayán continues: "Every removal proceeding must be rooted in specific criteria previously established in the law. This office of the @UN will closely monitor the situation and take action against any move to affect the labor of constitutional judges in El Salvador."
Response from Biden's Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs: https://twitter.com/whaasstsecty/status/1388671332670398466?s=21
From Rep. Jim McGovern: https://twitter.com/RepMcGovern/status/1388687397710352384
The new vice president of the Assembly, and Bukele's fmr minister of culture, uses an expression from Game of Thrones in reference to the annihilation of enemies by a fire-breathing dragon.
The Constitutional Court has condemned today's move as "inconstitutional, in that it violates the republican, democratic, and representative form of government and the system of political pluralism." https://twitter.com/SalaCnalSV/status/1388688763086385159
Bukele responds to the decree of inconstitutionality issued by the Chamber: "The removed magistrates writing a resolution is like Norman Quijano [former president of the Assembly] wanting to come legislate. Ah, no, I just remembered he fled to Honduras. https://twitter.com/nayibbukele/status/1388686301491343360?s=20
