International
The president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, assures that he does not care if he is called a dictator
The president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, assured on Sunday night, in his speech for the first year of his second consecutive term, that “he does not care that they call him dictator” and that he prefers that “to see how they kill Salvadorans.”
Personally, he has called me dictator in all the media that they have wanted and been able to. From Salvadoran pamphlets, to international pamphlets, the most prestigious (unspecified),” Bukele said during a solemn session of the Legislative Assembly held at the National Theater in San Salvador.
“You know what? I don’t care if they call me a dictator,” he said to deputies of Congress, representatives of the diplomatic corps in El Salvador and various institutions, and assured that “I mean that they call me dictator to see how they kill Salvadorans in the streets.”
And he continued: “I prefer these moments when I grab my cell phone and see: dictator, dictator, dictator… in the news and not see murder, murder, murder…)”.
“I prefer to be called a dictator but that Salvadorans can finally live in peace. Let them stay discussing their semantics and we will continue to focus on seeking results and contrary to the lies that they spread day and night, we have more results than any other government in our entire history,” he added.
The President of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, said on Sunday night, in his speech for the first year of his second consecutive term, that democracy, transparency, human rights and the rule of law “are terms” that are actually used to keep people submissive.
“Democracy, institutionality, transparency, human rights, the rule of law, sound good, they are great ideals in reality, but they are terms that are actually only used to keep us submissive,” Bukele said during a solemn session of the Legislative Assembly held at the National Theater in San Salvador.
“Sadly we are witnessing how our sister countries still believe in these international organizations, they still believe in these treaties that are supposedly to help us with our human rights and some politicians in the region (Latin America) unfortunately lend themselves to this game,” said the president.
“What they, the defenders of democracy and the rule of law, really want is that we are unable to punish the murderers in the name of a supposed ideal of human rights that is no more than the rights of criminals,” the president told deputies of Congress, representatives of the diplomatic corps in El Salvador and various institutions.
The first year of Bukele’s second consecutive term, identified as unconstitutional, is marked by alerts for “an authoritarian escalation”, the detention of human rights activists and the imprisonment of hundreds of Venezuelans, expelled from the United States and who do not face criminal proceedings in El Salvador.
In addition, Bukele defended the approval of a Foreign Agents Act that imposes a 30% tax on international donations to non-governmental organizations, compared to similar legislation used by countries such as Nicaragua to close organizations.
“A few days ago this Legislative Assembly approved the Foreign Agents Law: it is a law to protect international cooperation,” Bukele said in his first-year speech of his second consecutive mandate, prohibited by the Constitution.
The president pointed out, during a plenary session of the Legislative Assembly at the National Theater in San Salvador, that this law is “to ensure that those funds that come from abroad and that claim to be for social projects are really for that to help people.”
“Most developed countries prohibit foreign interference. We allow foreign interference. We only ask them to pay taxes just like everyone else,” Bukele pointed out to deputies of Congress, representatives of the diplomatic corps in El Salvador and various institutions.
International
Looting Spreads in Venezuela’s Hardest-Hit Areas After Deadly Earthquakes
Not even the wires were left behind at a small grocery store. Before the ground had even stopped shaking, looting and theft began in the areas hardest hit by the double earthquake that struck Venezuela.
Reports of robberies have multiplied in the coastal state of La Guaira, located near Caracas and now transformed into a landscape of collapsed buildings and debris.
Videos circulating on social media show groups of people removing boxes of household appliances from a damaged store. Other images show similar boxes being carried on top of vehicles and motorcycles.
Social media platforms have also been filled with accusations against police officers and military personnel who allegedly stole from homes and even from victims who died during the disaster.
A branch of a major pharmacy chain was looted, along with supermarkets and other businesses. Some residents have described the situation as “disaster tourism,” while others say the looting reflects hunger and desperation among people who lost everything in a country already facing a prolonged economic crisis.
“Is it fair that our own people turn against our own people?” said María Esther Bernal, 71, who rented commercial spaces to Chinese merchants, all of which were looted. “They left nothing behind, not even the wallpaper. They even took the cables,” she said.
“Next door, a man died. He was Chinese. People walked over his body while they looted the place. It was a supermarket,” she added.
An AFP journalist witnessed looting in La Guaira since Thursday, following the earthquakes.
Jenifer Mayora, 34, defended some of the actions, saying that “the things people took were because the owners of the stores allowed us to take them.”
However, she criticized the limited response from authorities. “I have been waiting for a mattress so my children can sleep,” she said.
Residents have expressed anger over what they describe as a slow and insufficient response from authorities after the double earthquake, which has left around 1,450 people dead and tens of thousands missing.
Communities are demanding not only faster rescue operations in La Guaira, but also stronger security measures and urgent assistance with food, water, and medicine.
International
UN warns Venezuela earthquakes could affect up to 6.76 million people
Up to 6.76 million people could be affected by the devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24, according to an assessment released by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), a United Nations agency.
The organization said the projections are based on available population data and damage assessments, and include up to two million people living in Caracas, the country’s capital.
The estimates highlight the potentially massive humanitarian impact of the disaster, the IOM warned.
Entire buildings collapsed in La Guaira, a coastal area north of Caracas, following the powerful twin earthquakes that reached magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 on Wednesday.
The national death toll has risen to 920, while rescue teams continue searching for people trapped beneath the rubble in coastal regions and other affected areas.
UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher told AFP on Friday that more than 50,000 people were reported missing.
The IOM also revealed that it worked with Microsoft’s artificial intelligence laboratory on an initial satellite mapping analysis, which showed that 31.5% of buildings in the town of Catia La Mar had suffered damage.
Authorities and international rescue teams continue operations as Venezuela faces one of its largest humanitarian emergencies in recent years.
International
United Nations Coordinates Relief Efforts as Venezuela Death Toll Rises After Twin Quakes
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Thursday expressed his condolences to the people of Venezuela following the two devastating earthquakes that struck the country and highlighted the ongoing coordination between UN humanitarian teams and interim President Delcy Rodríguez.
Speaking during the UN’s daily press briefing, spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said Guterres was deeply saddened by the loss of life and widespread destruction caused by the disaster.
“The Secretary-General is deeply distressed by the loss of life and the widespread devastation caused by the earthquakes that struck Venezuela yesterday. He extends his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a speedy recovery to those injured,” Dujarric stated.
Venezuela was struck on Wednesday by two powerful earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude. According to official figures, the disaster has left at least 164 people dead and 971 others injured.
Dujarric noted that preliminary reports indicate significant damage across several states, including the capital, Caracas. Numerous casualties have been reported, while other individuals remain trapped beneath collapsed structures or are still missing.
“Critical infrastructure has been damaged and essential services have been disrupted,” the spokesperson said.
The United Nations confirmed that its humanitarian team remains in close contact with interim President Delcy Rodríguez and other relevant authorities as emergency operations continue.
To support relief efforts, the UN has established a coordination center in Caracas and is assisting local authorities to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches affected communities as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Guterres also welcomed the expressions of solidarity and offers of assistance from countries around the world that responded following news of the disaster, underscoring the importance of international cooperation in addressing the humanitarian emergency.
Looting Spreads in Venezuela’s Hardest-Hit Areas After Deadly Earthquakes
UN warns Venezuela earthquakes could affect up to 6.76 million people
United Nations Coordinates Relief Efforts as Venezuela Death Toll Rises After Twin Quakes
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