Bukele has been the target of numerous criticisms, much of it in Washington and from Joe Biden administration officials for his weakening of democratic institutions, his blows to freedom of the press, and his administration’s lack of transparency.
According to a report on the ForeignLobby.com site, Nayib Bukele’s government has signed a $ 1.2 million advisory service contract with a former high-level diplomat. This, the report confirms, in light of a negotiation El Salvador will be conducting with the International Monetary Fund to obtain funding of $ 1.3 billion from those seeking to regulate public finances.
According to Foreign Lobby, “this contract comes as the 39-year-old president has gathered influential companies to counter criticism of his populist style of government and to promote US and foreign investment in the Central American country.”
According to the site, the government is now spending $ 240,000 a month on lobbying.
Bukele has been the target of much criticism, much of it in Washington and from officials in the Joe Biden administration and from both sides in the US Congress. This is because of his weakening of democratic institutions, his blows to freedom of the press and the lack of transparency in his government.
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These issues, it was warned, create political uncertainty, undermine credibility and confidence in the country, and may deter investment and financing prospects for El Salvador.
Chief Lobbyist is a seasoned retired diplomat
According to the site, the lobby will be led by veteran US diplomat Tom Shannon. He became Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere and retired in 2018 after a long career in the State Department.
In addition: Bukele fears losing control of CICIES over the visit of the US special envoy, who prioritizes the role of the prosecution, deputies say.
According to the registry of agents representing foreign governments at the Department of Justice, next to Shannon stands Raúl Herrera, who served as an adviser to the Inter-American Development Bank’s private sector support wing.