Salvadoran President-Elect to Evaluate Relationship with China: Aide

SAN SALVADOR (Reuters) – President-elect Nayib Bukele of El Salvador plans to evaluate the country’s diplomatic relations with China. This decision comes less than a year after the previous government severed ties with Taiwan.

During his campaign, Bukele, who was elected as an outsider candidate, voiced skepticism about the advantages El Salvador gained from establishing relations with China.

Federico Anliker, a close advisor and secretary general of Bukele’s New Ideas party, stated that the new administration will explore the reasons behind the outgoing government’s decision to form ties with China. Anliker emphasized the need to consider what is in the nation’s best interest rather than what benefits a political party, criticizing the former government’s approach.

“We were not consulted, nor were we provided with the reasons for establishing relations with China. We now need to conduct a thorough investigation,” Anliker explained.

In August, El Salvador officially broke off relations with Taiwan to establish connections with China, following similar moves by the Dominican Republic and Panama. Subsequent to this decision, China offered El Salvador approximately $150 million for social programs and food assistance to help alleviate hardships caused by a drought.

The White House has expressed concerns about China’s influence, claiming that the country entices nations with incentives that lead to economic dependence rather than genuine partnerships.

Anliker also noted that Bukele, a 37-year-old former mayor of San Salvador, is in support of Juan Guaido, who declared himself the legitimate leader of Venezuela earlier in the year. He mentioned that Bukele would not endorse a totalitarian regime that suppresses its citizens and violates human rights, referring specifically to President Nicolas Maduro’s administration.