The Supreme Court orders Bukele to sanction a state of emergency decree for the pandemic

Credit: YURI CORTEZ / AFP via Getty Images

(CNN Spanish) - The Supreme Court of Justice of El Salvador ruled that President Nayib Bukele must sanction "immediately" and publish in "the shortest time possible" the decree approved by the Legislative Assembly that establishes the national emergency for 15 days by the covid-19 pandemic.

The highest judicial body declared Decree 661 constitutional, approved by legislators on June 12. With this initiative, the deputies also established four phases of economic reopening, but it never came into force, because it was vetoed by President Nayib Bukele.

The magistrates of the Constitutional Chamber order the president to publish the legal provision in the Official Gazette as soon as possible, according to the ruling released this Wednesday.

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The ruling also empowers the President of the Assembly to publish it directly if after 15 business days Bukele has not done so.

"…What do we do? Go back in time? Thank God they were late. It would have been a sanitary disaster. Now, it is only an inconsequential decree ... ", Bukele wrote about it on his Twitter account.

Decree 661 established that the first of four phases would begin on June 16 and would run until July 6. While the last stage was scheduled from August 18. For that reason, the magistrates empower the deputies to make the necessary reforms to the decree. "Because it has become out of date with time and there are aspects that must be updated," said Deputy René Portillo Cuadra, of the conservative Nationalist Republican Alliance (Arena) party.

In addition, the Constitutional Chamber urges the Assembly to establish a national dialogue and seek consensus. The deputies and the Government have not reached agreements to establish legislation to regulate actions in the face of the health crisis.

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On August 7, the Supreme Court of Justice declared unconstitutional the five reopening phases established by the Government through an executive decree. As a result of this Bukele initiative, as of August 24, there would be no regulation, so the different sectors are preparing to start their activities.

The National Association of Private Enterprise (ANEP) asked "to make a gradual and responsible return to their activities" and to comply with health measures such as recommended social distancing, use of alcohol gel and masks. "You can save lives and jobs at the same time," added the business union in a statement.

El Salvador registers 640 deaths as of this Thursday from causes associated with the new coronavirus and 23,964 confirmed cases, according to official figures.

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