Salvadoran lawmakers back law to restart economy in defiance of president


Reuters | San Salvador | Updated: 20-05-2020 01:40 IST | Created: 20-05-2020 01:31 IST
Salvadoran lawmakers back law to restart economy in defiance of president
Representative image Image Credit: Flickr
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  • El Salvador

El Salvador's Congress overnight passed a law to accelerate the reopening of the country's economy ahead of a June 6 target proposed by President Nayib Bukele, who quickly threatened to veto the legislation, saying it was too early. With 63 out of 84 possible votes, the law sets out measures for a gradual return to normal in El Salvador, which has imposed some of the toughest lockdown measures in the Americas.

The law would take effect eight days after its promulgation, but Bukele argued it was too risky to re-open the Central American country so soon and said on Twitter that it would lead to a massive contagion of Salvadorans if it came into effect. "Thank God I can veto it," he wrote.

On Monday, the president, 38, said he would present a proposal to Congress to initiate a phased reopening of the economy from June 6, in return for lawmakers' approval for another 15 days of strict quarantine measures. Bukele has spent the past few days scrapping with Congress over who should dictate the terms of the lockdown.

On Monday, the Supreme Court ruled against Bukele's weekend decision to order an extension of the country's state of emergency without getting approval from Congress.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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