El Salvador: Bukele's Strict School Reforms and Power Consolidation

Bukele's Power Consolidation

• 💡 President Nayib Bukele has consolidated power in El Salvador, with a constitutional reform allowing indefinite presidential re-election and extending the term from five to six years.
• ⚖️ This reform, approved by the pro-government Congress, also eliminates the second round of elections, despite a constitutional prohibition on re-election.
• 🏛️ Critics, like deputy Marcela Villatoro, view this as a setback for democracy and an attempt to concentrate all state power, including the Supreme Court.

Strict School Reforms Implemented

• 📝 The Minister of Education, Captain Karla Trigueros, issued a mandatory memorandum to public schools outlining strict disciplinary measures for students.
• ✅ Requirements include wearing a clean uniform, having an appropriate haircut, maintaining correct personal presentation, and offering a respectful greeting upon entry.
• ⚠️ Students who do not comply, such as those with non-approved haircuts or wearing makeup, are denied entry or subjected to lectures, with some schools enforcing specific styles like "francesa clara."

Militarization of Education Concerns

• 🎖️ The appointment of an active-duty army captain as Minister of Education is seen by critics as a militarization of public education.
• 🚫 Idalia Zúñiga of the Salvadoran Teachers' Front argues this appointment is illegal and that the memorandum is inappropriate, converting directors into control agents.
• 🚨 Concerns are raised that these measures, including denying education to non-compliant students, could be a precursor to the privatization of public education.

Broader Implications for Civil Liberties

• ⚖️ Bukele's government is popular for its anti-gang efforts, which have brought security but are criticized for risking human rights and due process.
• 🚪 Many activists, academics, and journalists have been forced into exile due to persecution and fear of imprisonment under the state of exception.
• 🏥 A proposed law for the healthcare sector would require health professionals to work exclusively in public service, threatening their accreditation if they refuse, raising further concerns about individual freedoms.