Saturday, September 18, 2021

Bukele Rules Out Abortion, Same-Sex Marriage in El Salvador



The president's announcement on same-sex marriage and abortion was swiftly flagged by his critics. | Photo: Twitter/@decryptmedia

Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele said on Friday a series of constitutional reforms the government will send soon to Congress will not contain decriminalization of abortion, legalization of same-sex marriage or steps to permit euthanasia.

The package of planned measures Bukele received this week from Vice President Felix Ulloa includes the extension and possible early termination of the presidential term as well as the creation of a new body to replace the electoral tribunal.

"I have decided, to dispel ANY DOUBT, NOT TO PROPOSE ANY KIND OF REFORM TO ANY ITEMS RELATED TO the RIGHT TO LIFE (from the moment of conception), to marriage (keeping only the original design, A MAN AND A WOMAN) or to euthanasia," Bukele wrote on his Facebook account, capitalizing certain parts.

The El Salvador president announced he plans to study the proposals, drawn up at Bukele's request by Ulloa with a team of lawyers in 2020 to overhaul human rights legislation, as well as the political and economic system, and the government's judicial structure.

El Salvador is known for having some of the strictest anti-abortion laws throughout the Americas.

"President @nayibbukele ruled out that he will propose any constitutional reform that has to do with abortion, euthanasia or same-sex marriage. The president made his statement on his Facebook wall after receiving a document from the Ad-Hoc commission."

Critics swiftly pounced on the president's announcement regarding same-sex marriage and abortion.

Highlighting the 40-year-old president's words, the executive director of the Americas division of Human Rights Watch, Jose Miguel Vivanco, said, for example, on Twitter: "Just in case any dupe still thought Bukele was a modern leader..."

Bukele made no mention of his plan to extend the presidential term from five to six years, nor of other contentious measures. He also failed to say when they would be sent to Congress, which his party and its allies control.


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