This story first appeared on Telemundo 44. You can read and watch the video in Spanish here.
The Vice President of El Salvador, Félix Ulloa, in an exclusive interview in Spanish with our sister station Telemundo 44, praised the new system that allows Salvadorans abroad to cast their votes in this presidential election period, which began on Saturday.
“The democratic and electoral process has evolved to the point where, for the first time, the basic human right of the diaspora to vote is recognized,” he said.
The country's Supreme Electoral Court has launched a website to allow its citizens to exercise their right to vote using their identity card (Documento Único de Identidad or DUI in Spanish). The portal will be available until February 4, when El Salvador also holds elections.
Ulloa is currently on a six-month vacation alongside President Nayib Bukele after the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court allowed both to seek a second term in office – a controversial move as the country's constitution prohibits the re-election of a president.
For example, Article 154 states: “The term of office of the President shall be five years, beginning and ending on June 1, without the person holding the presidency being able to hold office for even one day longer.”
However, another part, Article 152, states: “The following persons cannot stand for the office of President of the Republic: 1.- Persons who have served as President of the Republic for more than six months continuously or non-consecutively in the immediately preceding period have served during the period or within the last six months preceding the start of the President's term in office.”
When asked about the issue, Ulloa said there was a difference “between an immediate election and a second term.” [the latter of] what is allowed in the constitution.”
Ulloa explained that if the president loses the election after his six-month break, “he will return to office, finish his term and then hand it over to the winner. If he wins, he will wait until Inauguration Day on June 1.”
Regarding security, Ulloa emphasized the effectiveness of the state of emergency (or state of emergency), which was extended for the 22nd time on Tuesday.
He also called on organizations denouncing human rights violations under the measure to “make their report from El Salvador.”
His comments follow an investigation published by Human Rights Watch that reportedly documented more than 1,000 cases of serious human rights violations in El Salvador, including arbitrary arrests, torture, lack of due process, burglaries, threats, police harassment, ill-treatment. treatment and cruel or degrading treatment.
Ulloa responded that some of these organizations allegedly did not visit the country to prepare these reports.
“It's a shame because it calls into question the defense of human rights, and actually they are bureaucrats who make a living, but they are not really at the forefront of the defense of human rights,” he stressed.
Ulloa added that the government's crackdown on gangs has enabled the country's economic development.
“Security is something that people are starting to enjoy and the economy is starting to thrive. There used to be a beauty salon or a mechanic shop and you would find a gang member there,” he said.
In addition, Ulloa expects Bukele's government to try to fight corruption during a possible second term.
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