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US Expresses Concern Over El Salvador Vote to Remove Judges, Attorney General

Associated Press

   SAN SALVADOR, EL SALVADOR - The vote by El Salvador's new congress to
   remove the magistrates of the Supreme Court's constitutional chamber
   and the attorney general on the newly elected legislative body's very
   first day drew concern and condemnation from multinational groups and
   the United States.

   U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke to Salvadoran President
   Nayib Bukele on Sunday about the previous day's vote, saying "that an
   independent judiciary is essential to democratic governance," the State
   Department said.

   Bukele's New Ideas party won 56 out of the 84 seats in the Legislative
   Assembly in February elections that pushed aside the country's
   traditional parties, weakened by corruption scandals.

   The dominant electoral performance raised concerns that Bukele would
   seek to change the court, which along with the previous congress, had
   been the only obstacles that the very popular leader faced. The vote
   Saturday to remove the five magistrates was 64 lawmakers in favor, 19
   opposed and one abstention.

   Now with effective control of the congress and the high court, few if
   any checks remain on Bukele's power.

   He swept into office in 2019 as a break from the country's corrupt and
   troubled traditional parties, though his political career had started