Flanked by Soldiers and Invoking God 20 Times, Bukele Demands Unwavering Loyalty from El Salvador

After being sworn in as president despite constitutional prohibitions, Nayib Bukele called on the public to support him without hesitation or dissent. Shortly before his speech, dozens of soldiers paraded in front of the National Palace, an unprecedented event in post-war El Salvador. In under 40 minutes, Bukele mentioned God 20 times.

Originally published in Revista Factum on 1 June 2024 https://www.revistafactum.com/bukele-pide-lealtad-sumision/

In his first speech as an unconstitutional president, as this second term violates the Constitution, Nayib Bukele emphasized that Salvadorans must accept his agenda without complaints or dissent.

Around 10 a.m. on June 1, Bukele stepped onto the balcony of the National Palace and addressed the public for the first time after being sworn in by the president of the Legislative Assembly, Ernesto Castro. In this speech, he reiterated many of the points he had raised five years ago when he began his first term.

In 2019, his speech focused on the "bitter medicine" El Salvador needed to take to fix its main problems. Five years later, he compared himself to a doctor who cured El Salvador of terminal cancer: gang violence.

"The cancer had practically disappeared. The patient was cured. The person decided to trust the doctor, without complaining, supporting him, following the prescription to the letter, and thanks to God and the treatment, everything began to improve until they were cured of the cancer that everyone had said was terminal," Bukele said.

However, he also referred to new diseases afflicting the country, including the economy, which remains the primary concern for Salvadorans. A survey by the University Institute of Public Opinion at UCA in January of this year showed that for 70% of Salvadorans, the economy is the main problem.

Just as with security, Bukele warned of unpopular economic measures: "In this new treatment to heal the economy, perhaps we will also have to take bitter medicine. But just like the patient who recovered from cancer and now wants to heal their heart, the country has already cured itself of gangs and now wants to heal its struggling economy," he said.

The de facto president did not detail his economic plan or outline any specific measures for the country. However, he emphasized the importance of obedience and citizen loyalty: "You already voted for us massively on February 4, but voting is not enough. It is important to defend every decision that is made without hesitation. Just as we did with security. Exactly as we made this country safe, we will make it prosperous. But for that, we need everyone to defend each decision that is made."

Later in his speech, just as in 2019, Bukele asked attendees at Gerardo Barrios Plaza in downtown San Salvador to raise their hands and take an oath. And as in his first inauguration, this oath centered on the citizens' responsibility to defend his government's actions.

"We swear to unconditionally defend our national project, following each step to the letter, without complaining, asking for God's wisdom so that our country may once again be blessed with another miracle," he said from the balcony to the attendees, who repeated his words in unison.

But demanding loyalty was not enough. He also asked them to commit to "never listening to the enemies of the people." This was also repeated in chorus without hesitation. This message aligns with his main aspiration, expressed on February 4 in the same palace: "It would be the first time that a country has a single party within a fully democratic system," he said when he declared himself the winner of the presidential election, even though the Supreme Electoral Tribunal had not yet officially released any results.

With God and the Military

A few minutes after Bukele's second swearing-in, dozens of armed forces members marched in front of the National Palace, an unprecedented event in post-war El Salvador. This brief but highly symbolic act aligns with a key feature of Bukele's first term: the increasing militarization of public security and the involvement of the military in politics. This was particularly evident when the president stormed the Legislative Assembly's Blue Room on February 9, 2020, flanked by a heavily armed squad. A month and a half later, in a conversation with Puerto Rican rapper Residente, he admitted that he did it to "pressure" legislators, who at the time held an opposition majority, over a loan request.

Beyond military symbolism, religious references were a major feature of his inauguration speech.

In just under 40 minutes, the unconstitutional president of El Salvador mentioned "God" 20 times. Some references were to thank God for being present, others highlighted His role in defeating gangs, and some framed divine intervention as essential to overcoming the country's upcoming challenges.

"El Salvador needs three things to heal its economy and fix its financial situation. First, God's guidance. Second, the government's tireless work. And third, the people's unwavering defense of every decision that is made," he said.

Beyond asking for faith in both God and his government, Bukele did not provide further details on his economic plan, which he promised would be the centerpiece of his second administration.