SAN SALVADOR (Reuters) – El Salvador President Nayib Bukele said on Thursday that the country’s culture ministry is set to fire 300 employees who are promoting agendas that are “incompatible” with the government’s vision.
“Furthermore, we will save public funds in the process,” Bukele said on X. “Bitter medicine.”
Bukele took office at the start of June for a second term after winning a landslide re-election, pledging to cure the “illnesses” of the Central American country by prescribing “medicine” to fix the economy, following what described as a cure for the “cancer of the gangs” during his first term.
Bukele, a former marketing executive, garnered massive popularity for transforming security in a country that was once one of the world’s most dangerous, but mass trials, a mega prison and suspended civil rights have drawn criticism from human rights groups.
His popularity has been reinforced by a powerful media machine that includes teams of internet trolls who flood social networks with government propaganda.
Since beginning his second term, Bukele has made several changes in his cabinet, including the appointment of Raul Castillo, a former teacher, as culture minister last week in order to “promote patriotic and family values.”
The small Central American country maintains some of the world’s harshest anti-abortion laws.
“El Salvador is pro-life, pro-traditional family and the 2030 agenda has no place here,” ruling party lawmaker Alexia Rivas said on X, referring to the United Nation’s development plan which includes provisions for a range of human rights.
“This is what the people asked for, this is the vision of our president, and this is the path that officials must follow,” Rivas said.
Earlier this month, the culture ministry canceled a play by drag artists after receiving complaints from local conservative and religious groups.
(Reporting by Nelson Renteria; Editing by Brendan O’Boyle)
