Ask in El Salvador about the Feb. 28 legislative and municipal elections and you’ll get two different answers of what the results could bring: a move toward a dictatorship or a chance to move the country forward.
Polls show Nuevas Ideas (New Ideas), the party of Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, pulling ahead of the country’s two main political parties and set to gain control of municipalities and at least a simple majority in the Salvadoran Legislative Assembly, the equivalent of U.S. Congress. If that happens, it will place much of the country under the control of the New Ideas party — a feat for any political party in the past 30 years here, but more so for one that was not even formally established three years ago. Some Catholic leaders in recent days have joined other Christian notables in pointing out that the path to get to this point has produced greater polarization in Salvadoran society, as well as the erosion of public trust in institutions that have maintained political peace in the country for almost three decades. The leaders warn about the harm already harvested: the death of two Salvadorans who were part of a caravan of leftist sympathizers fired upon at an intersection in late January. Authorities are investigating the crime and have suspects under custody — all security personnel or affiliated with the government run by Nuevas Ideas.
Some religious leaders argue that election season, which should be a time to celebrate hard-fought-for democracy and a plurality of ideas in El Salvador, has instead turned into idolatry of political actors and a disregard for the truth and for the lives of political opponents. “We, pastors and priests of various Christians denominations, with deep concern for the situation of sin that permeates Salvadoran politics and society in general, we wish to speak the truth in love to the churches and people in general to warn them against temptations, false doctrines and political idolatries,” a group of 69 religious leaders wrote in a statement published Feb. 17 in one of the country’s major newspapers. Among them were 11 Catholics, including Bishop Oswaldo Escobar of Chalatenango and Jesuit Father Andreu Oliva, rector of José Simeón Cañas Central American University, known as the UCA. “We express our deep sorrow over the practice of lying that has invaded political life and is contrary to the commitment to truth that is morally crucial for personal and public life … what we now observe is a normalization of lying without decorum in the mouth of those who should be leaders of the country,” the statement said. “Lying by officials is premeditated, persistent and shameless.” One of the popular political attack ads that has been used online in the past shows a black briefcase, an image used to insinuate that anyone who seems to question the president or his party likely has received one just like it full of cash. And no one is exempt from the accusation.
When Cardinal Gregorio Rosa Chavez was asked about the president’s first year in office and raised concerns about the government’s lack of transparency, sympathizers of Nuevas Ideas railed against the prelate, accusing him of receiving the black briefcase and in some cases, Photoshopped the briefcase in photos of him at a meeting with the president’s opponents.
About The Author
Harrison Okafor
editor
Judith is a believer, a lover of Christ and a Gospel freak person. A passionate gospel blogger and press writer. I work with GospelHitsNaija.net Media, no 1 Gospel music platform.
