US dampens criticism of El Salvador's president as migration overtakes democracy concerns

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — In 2021, the Biden administration turned down a meeting request with El Salvador's president, Nayib Bukele, on a trip to Washington, snubbing the self-proclaimed “world's coolest dictator” for fear a photo op would embolden his attempts to expand his power base.

A little more than three years later, it's the United States that's courting Bukele. A high-level delegation led by U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and senior White House and State Department officials, attended Bukele's inauguration in San Salvador on Saturday to a second term.

The visit — unthinkable until recently — caps a quiet, 180-degree shift in Washington's policy toward the small Central American nation of 6 million that reflects how the Biden administration's criticisms of Bukele's strong-armed governing style have been overtaken by more urgent concerns tied to immigration — a key issue in this year's U.S. presidential election.

“They’ve realized what he’s been doing works,” Damian Merlo, an American adviser to Bukele who is registered to lobby on the Salvadoran government's behalf, said in an interview from El Salvador. “If the U.S. is serious about wanting to address the root causes of migration, then Bukele is someone who has actually done it.”

The 42-year-old Bukele, who was reelected with 85% of the vote, has been wildly popular at home for his frontal attack on powerful gangs, which has converted what was once the world's murder capital into one of Latin America's safest countries. The improvement in public security is credited with a more than 60% drop in migration from the Central American country to the U.S. since Bukele took office in 2019 — a stark contrast with a growing exodus of migrants from other parts of Latin America.

“We conquered fear, and today are truly a free nation,” Bukele said in a speech Saturday to hundreds of supporters from the balcony of the National Palace after being sworn in for a second, five-year term.

Cured of what he called the “cancer” of gang violence, he said that his next term would be devoted to strengthening El Salvador's economy, vowing to apply the same independent, unconventional approach that has characterized his rule and won him admirers from conservatives throughout Latin America.

“I’m not here to do what others think I should do. I’m here to do what’s best for our country,” he said.

Until recently, Bukele's crackdown on the gangs — as well as political opponents — had drawn fire from Washington. A state of emergency originally declared in 2022 and still in effect has been used to round up 78,175 suspected gang members in sweeps that rights groups say are often arbitrary, based on a person’s appearance or where they live. The government has had to release about 7,000 people because of a lack of evidence.

After Biden took office, the U.S. sanctioned several of Bukele's top aides on allegations of corruption and shifted foreign assistance from government agencies to civil society groups highly critical of Bukele.

In 2021, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris said that Washington had “ deep concerns about El Salvador's democracy " after lawmakers loyal to Bukele removed several Supreme Court justices that were among the last check on the president's power. A few months later, the new justices lifted a constitutional ban on consecutive reelection, something the U.S. State Department denounced as the outcome of “a clear strategy to undermine judicial independence."

The about-face, observers say, started a little more than a year ago when Biden sent William Duncan, a career diplomat, to San Salvador as U.S. ambassador. Then, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Salvadoran Foreign Minister Alexandra Hill in Washington. Bukele, a gifted communicator who in the past praised former U.S. President Donald Trump and cozied up to China, has also avoided direct confrontation, although he still managed to ruffle feathers when he attended a conservative political gathering outside Washington earlier this year.

"Migration trumps everything else," said Michael Shifter, a former president of Inter-American Dialogue in Washington. “The ideal Latin American partner would be effective in its security policy while respecting human rights norms and practices and cooperating with the U.S. on migration. But rarely do all these desirable things go together, which poses tough choices for U.S. policymakers.”

Shifter said that such a high-level delegation like the one in El Salvador is rarely sent to presidential inaugurations, even of the United States' closest allies in the region. Besides Mayorkas, it includes Brian Nichols, the assistant secretary of state for the Western Hemisphere, and Daniel Erikson, Biden’s top national security adviser on Latin America. Six members of congress, including three Democrats, and Donald Trump Jr. are also attending.

“Pretty solid way to travel,” Trump Jr. said in a video posted on TikTok as he was escorted by El Salvador's police to the inauguration ceremony. “Just promoting those who support freedom around the world.”

Mayorkas met with Bukele on the eve of his inauguration to discuss migration, public security and ways to strengthen the fight against narcotics trafficking.

“I want to express the United States’ dedication to supporting the growth and prosperity of El Salvador through continued bilateral cooperation,” Mayorkas said in a message on social media.

The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

But Ricardo Zúniga, a retired U.S. diplomat who handled migration talks with Central America in the early days of the Biden administration, said that Washington may come to regret its recent embrace of Bukele.

“Bukele will be in power for many years to come, so you need to have a working relationship,” said Zúniga, who was the principal deputy assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs until his retirement last fall. “But you also have to be clear eyed. This is an authoritarian government ruled by a single party that is not sympathetic to U.S. strategic interests.”

Joshua Goodman reported from Miami.

El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele waves from a balcony accompanied by first lady Gabriela Roberta Rodríguez after he was sworn in for a second term, in San Salvador, El Salvador, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Salvador Melendez)

A supporter of El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele, wearing a mask depicting him, poses for a photo outside the National Library prior to his inauguration for a second term in San Salvador, El Salvador, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Salvador Melendez)

President of Honduras Xiomara Castro waves as she arrives to attend President Nayib Bukele's inauguration ceremony, in San Salvador, El Salvador, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Salvador Melendez)

El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele waves from a balcony accompanied by first lady Gabriela Roberta Rodríguez after he was sworn in for a second term, in San Salvador, El Salvador, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Salvador Melendez)

Paraguay's President Santiago Peña and first lady Leticia Ocampos arrive to attend the inauguration ceremony for El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele, in San Salvador, El Salvador, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Salvador Melendez)

El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele is shown on a giant screen as he is sworn-in for a second term, in San Salvador, El Salvador, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Salvador Melendez)

Argentina's President Javier Milei waves as he arrives to attend the inauguration of El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele, in San Salvador, El Salvador, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Salvador Melendez)

Military forces stand outside of the National Palace prior to El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele's inauguration for a second term in San Salvador, El Salvador, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Salvador Melendez)

El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele and his daughter Layla salute while standing on a balcony with first lady Gabriela Roberta Rodríguez, after he was sworn in for a second term, in San Salvador, El Salvador, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Salvador Melendez)

El Salvador's Vice President Felix Ulloa and his wife Lilian Alvarenga arrive to attend President Nayib Bukele's inauguration ceremony, in San Salvador, El Salvador, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Salvador Melendez)

El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele and first lady Gabriela Roberta Rodríguez are shown on a giant screen during his swearing-in ceremony, in San Salvador, El Salvador, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Salvador Melendez)

Supporters of El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele line up outside of the National Palace prior to his inauguration for a second term in San Salvador, El Salvador. Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Salvador Melendez)

El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele and first lady Gabriela Roberta Rodríguez wave from a balcony after he was sworn in for a second term, in San Salvador, El Salvador, Saturday, June 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Salvador Melendez)

CHICAGO (AP) — Trea Turner hit two long home runs, and the major league-leading Philadelphia Phillies hung on to beat the struggling Chicago Cubs 6-4 on Tuesday night.

The Phillies played without injured sluggers Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber. They got the pop they needed from Turner and a terrific performance by Michael Mercado (1-0) in his first major league start.

But it got close in the ninth.

José Ruiz came in and gave up singles to Michael Busch and Cody Bellinger before Seiya Suzuki smacked a three-run homer. Jeff Hoffman then struck out Ian Happ and Christopher Morel before retiring Dansby Swanson on a line drive to right for his seventh save.

The Cubs lost for the seventh time in nine games.

Mercado pitched two-hit ball over five innings to earn his first career win.

Garrett Stubbs gave Philadelphia a 2-0 lead with a two-run double in the second, and Turner took over from there.

“It’s that fine line of trying to make an impact but not trying to do too much,” he said. “A few days ago, I was trying a little too hard. Now, I feel the swing is getting there. I was getting good pitches to hit and just not missing them.”

Turner lined the first pitch of the third to about the 10th row of the bleachers in left-center. He made it 5-1 with a towering two-run drive in the fifth against Hayden Wesneski (2-5), giving him 15 multihomer games. The two-time All-Star added an RBI single in the seventh.

Mercado permitted one run in his second career appearance. The 25-year-old right-hander struck out four and walked two.

Mercado walked a batter and gave up a single to Suzuki in the first. In between, right fielder Nick Castellanos made a terrific backhanded catch while crashing into the ivy to rob Bellinger of an extra-base hit.

Mercado pitched out of that jam. The only other hit he allowed was Bellinger's RBI double in the third.

“I think after that first inning, I was able to settle in a little easier,” Mercado said. “But that's normal with any start no matter if it's here, Triple-A or any time in my career.”

Gregory Soto, Orion Kerkering and Yunior Marte each worked a perfect inning before Ruiz ran into trouble.

The Cubs finished with five hits after being held to two in a 7-1 loss at NL Central-leading Milwaukee on Sunday.

“Disappointing, for sure,” Bellinger said. “We all had high expectations. I think overall, we still do. Today, I thought we put some good swings on the ball. Just some bad breaks, it looked like. We've got to keep on fighting.”

Wesneski went five innings, allowing five runs and five hits. The right-hander struck out seven and walked three in his fifth start this season and 22nd appearance.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Phillies: The Phillies played their fourth straight game without Harper (strained left hamstring) and Schwarber (strained left groin). They were placed on the 10-day injured list after getting hurt in Thursday night’s 7-4 loss to Miami.

Cubs: RHP Julian Merryweather (rib stress fracture) threw 25 pitches in live batting practice at Wrigley Field. He likely will throw another session Saturday before going on a rehab assignment, manager Craig Counsell said. A setup man, Merryweather made four appearances before going on the injured list in early April.

UP NEXT

The Phillies send RHP Zack Wheeler (9-4, 2.73 ERA) to the mound on Wednesday, and the Cubs are going with LHP Shota Imanaga (7-2, 3.07 ERA). Wheeler bounced back with solid starts against Arizona and Miami after getting tagged for a season-high eight runs in a loss to Baltimore. Imanaga shook off his worst start, tossing six solid innings in Chicago's win at San Francisco on Thursday.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Michael Mercado looks out from the dugout during the third inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs Tuesday, July 2, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Philadelphia Phillies' Nick Castellanos bounces off the right field wall after catching a deep fly ball by Chicago Cubs' Cody Bellinger during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, July 2, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Philadelphia Phillies' Nick Castellanos catches a deep fly ball by Chicago Cubs' Cody Bellinger at the right field wall during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, July 2, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Hayden Wesneski winds up during the first inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies Tuesday, July 2, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Michael Mercado follows through during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs Tuesday, July 2, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Philadelphia Phillies' Trea Turner, right, celebrates his two-run home run off Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Hayden with Johan Rojas during the fifth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, July 2, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Michael Mercado looks out from the dugout during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs Tuesday, July 2, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Michael Mercado looks out from the dugout during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs Tuesday, July 2, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

Philadelphia Phillies' Trea Turner watches his two-run home run off Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Hayden during the fifth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, July 2, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)