The EL SALVADOR Story.

Previously posted on my Facebook Page.

NEWS. “In El Salvador, the President Cracks Down on Civil Liberties, and Is Beloved for It.” And adds: “Much of the country’s population is willing to tolerate an autocratic leader, if it means that someone will finally solve their most pressing problem: gang violence.” Unemployment is almost 7 percent. Economic pace is at 2.9 percent. These are not unusual numbers in post pandemic years and current global impact of the Ukraine crisis. Considering as well that El Salvador is the third largest economy in Central America.

       So why the tempest? We always see social unrest in economies that aren’t really down, neck-deep, in the pits. It is more complex that what it seems. For starters, maybe because President Nayib Bukele is friendly with China? How relations with China affects the U.S. foreign policy though it’s all political facades.

       San Salvador’s relations with Washington has always been shaky due to America’s controversial moves and operations in the country since its Civil War years from 1979 to 1992, and interference in Salvadoran elections. But El Salvador’s decision to cut ties with Taiwan in 2018 in favor of China sealed the animosity. 🇸🇻🇸🇻🇸🇻

SUCH news can be a bit confounding, ain’t it? Part of the larger competitive fire between the United States and China? Expected? Just the way geopolitics per superpower rivalry goes?

       Meanwhile, Salvadoran and Chinese leaderships have been meeting recently, per trade. President Nayib Bukele, after meeting with counterpart Xi Jinping in June said the forged or pledged investments represented a “gigantic, non-refundable cooperation” for the small Central American nation. For its part, China is all-set to join hands with El Salvador “to promote international fairness and justice, advocate win-win cooperation, implement the Global Development Initiative together, and move forward toward building a community with a shared future for mankind.” Grand words, indeed.

       In 2018, prior to El Salvador’s break from Taiwan, the U.S. was the country’s top trading partner. Info says Washington still dominates San Salvador’s trade. But China in inching in, quietly but surely. In 2019, China inked several major infrastructure projects in El Salvador including a stadium and water treatment plant, which signaled China’s growing role in the region after El Salvador cut ties with Taiwan.

       El Salvador’s chief industries are food processing, beverages, petroleum, and chemicals. 🇸🇻🇸🇻🇸🇻

WHAT’s going on here is a paradox of sorts. El Salvador does huge business with the U.S. despite its leadership’s newfound cordiality with China. Despite Washington’s interference in the country, the people love America.

       Surveys by the Pew Research Center in recent years say around 80 percent of Salvadorans viewed the United States positively respectively revealing El Salvador as one of the most pro-American nations in the world.

       Following decision of the Salvadoran government, under then President Salvador Sanchez Ceren, to cut ties with Taiwan in favor of China in 2018, some Republican senators like Marco Rubio had demanded that economic aid to the country be cut and their expulsion from Alianza Para Prosperidad. The U.S-supported program is aimed to help El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala with education and healthcare to reduce illegal immigration to the U.S.

       But then, these seem like political sideshows. Meantime, gang violence in El Salvador, could be orchestrated or manipulated (refer to the past)—but blood in the streets isn’t showtime at all. 🇸🇻🇸🇻🇸🇻