Bishops of El Salvador criticize that the country is used as megacárcel

At the gates of the sixth anniversary of the government of President Nayib Bukele, which is fulfilled in June, the Catholic bishops of El Salvador published a carta pastoral in which they warn about the risk of making the country a “large international prison” and demand the end of the exception regime.

In his pastoral letter, published on May 29, the Episcopal Conference of El Salvador said that his intention is not “contradicting national authorities, because we know the efforts they make to govern the country for the benefit of the people.”

They also made it clear that their observations do not respond to “some partisan ideological interest, or by interests of power groups. What truly moves us is the good of the people.”

“With our voice, we want to audible the clamor of the poor people and the great majorities whose rights are violated, perhaps, not with bad intention; but violated, because in the midst of such an intense reality it can happen that, their unclear voice is not audible,” reads the letter.

Criticism of the use of “megacárcel”

The prelates asked the Salvadoran authorities “not to promote the prisons of our country for the victims of the anti -immigrant policies of foreign powers.”

In particular, they criticized the position assumed after the visit of the Secretary of State of the United States Marco Rubio in February of this year, when President Bukele offered Receive at the Center for Confinement of Terrorism (CECOT) to “dangerous American criminals including citizens of the United States” as well as “illegal migrants from any other country” instead of deporting them to their country of residence.

The CECOT, popularly known as the “megacárcel” is a maximum security prison inaugurated in January 2023, which You can house Up to 40,000 inmates.

“We ask our rulers not to promote this country as if it were a large international prison. We beg you to think about what they do. Bringing great criminals can become a danger to our population; as much as this nation won an international bad reputation,” warn the bishops.

As an alternative, they called to “promote a policy in favor of migrants, with open borders and insertion in the economy as labor. In addition, a part of the Salvadoran people are also migrant and we would not like our compatriots to be imprisoned in other nations.”

Do good by obligation “is repression”

Another of the demands raised by the bishops is “the repeal of the state of exception”, a measure in force since March 2022 in the country as part of the government strategy to combat criminal gangs.

This regime allows us to suspend, in a constitutional way, rights such as freedom of meeting, the inviolability of communications, the right to be informed about the reasons for an arrest, and access to legal representation, among others. According to Human Rights Watchthis measure has opened “the door to commit human rights violations.”

Although bishops recognize that “at another time it was necessary to stop violence and considered it successful for its results. But time has passed, and we consider that it is no longer necessary.”

“It is about allowing the people to exercise their freedom without any pressure. For the people cannot continue doing good, acting good, and obeying the laws, for fear of the consequences of the exception regime. (…). Doing good for fear is coercion and doing so by obligation is repression,” said the bishops.

Criticize that “human rights defenders are pursued”

At another point in the letter, the bishops condemned that “human rights defenders are persecuted for the simple act of exercising this function.” This, after the arrest of lawyer Ruth Eleonora López. Según Human Rights Watchthis case “adds to a series of repressive actions promoted by the government, which has shown a growing hostility towards journalists, union leaders and human rights defenders.”

In this sense, the bishops requested that “if in case there are some prisoners for no more reason than the defense of human rights, their cases must be studied and immediately released.” They also urged “with great objectivity” all cases of people deprived of their freedom “to ensure that those who are innocent leave there as soon as possible.”