EL SALVADOR

After the Supreme Court suspended Executive Decree 18 on May 19, extending the state of emergency without the endorsement of the Legislative branch, President Nayib Bukele issued a new decree on May 20 extending the emergency, and published Decree 26 in the Official Gazette regarding the extension of the mandatory quarantine. This keeps the suspension of activity in the alcohol industry in place. Both regulations are already in force and apply until June 6, although there could be further interventions by the judiciary to halt their application. 

Also on May 19, the Legislative Assembly passed a Law allowing people to go back to work in the framework of the pandemic. This concerns a four-phase gradual plan for economic recovery in strict compliance with health protocols which envisages allowing bars and restaurants to open in the second phase. However, the Executive announced that it intended to veto the initiative and would present its own plan in the coming days

It should be remembered that Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele published Decree No.18 in the Official Gazette on May 19, extending the state of “national emergency, public calamity and natural disaster” for a further 30 days to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the country. However, this measure prompted a dispute between branches, since the Executive cannot constitutionally rule on an emergency in the country as it is the prerogative of the Legislative, which is what led the Judiciary to suspend the ruling on May 19.