# Bukele Defends Legislative Majority and His View of Democracy in El Salvador - Original post: https://www.twitter.com/i/status/2120267758218916202 - Source account: [@Wilson_R38](https://x.com/Wilson_R38) - Source language: Spanish - Target language: English - Duration: 6:39 - Published: 2026-11-11 - Machine translated. Check the original before quoting. - Canonical URL: https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador - Original-language version: https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/es/bukele-defiende-la-mayor%C3%ADa-legislativa-y-su-visi%C3%B3n-de-la-democracia-en-el.md ## Transcript [0:00](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador) Come on, come on, members of the Legislative Assembly. [0:02](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=2) Thank you very much. Thank you, Ambassador. [0:05](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=5) Well, mean-meanwhile, I just want to say two things, Ambassador. [0:10](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=10) The first is that when I said “opposition,” and, well, we’re clear there’s no problem with the opposition, we’ve both said that about seven times. [0:22](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=22) But as for the first—the first point, when I said “opposition,” I wasn’t referring to ARE or the FMLN. [0:29](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=29) I was referring to the actors who are in the opposition, who don’t represent society, the vast majority of Salvadoran society, but do represent the majority of people who have access to you. [0:43](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=43) Because the problem is, and I think that’s where our friends are mistaken. [0:48](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=48) We’re clear that you are a great friend of the country. [0:50](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=50) I know that you truly, from the heart, are, He's a great friend from El Salvador. [0:54](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=54) And, and we've worked together since I was mayor. [0:56](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=56) This isn't something he's just telling me now. [0:58](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=58) I, I know that clearly. But I think the mistake that— that our friends have, have made, because a friend can be wrong, and many friends can be wrong too. [1:10](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=70) The fact that five people think the same thing doesn't mean they're right. [1:13](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=73) In Germany, millions, millions, tens of millions of people thought it was okay to burn Jews in an oven. [1:21](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=81) That is, a lot of people can be wrong. And, and they're wrong here. [1:27](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=87) And I'll tell you why. First of all, because the definition of democracy isn't that the powers that be have a share of power in the government. [1:39](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=99) The definition of democracy is that the people chooses its representatives, the ones it can elect directly, and they choose the other representatives whom the people elect indirectly. [1:49](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=109) That's why they're called second-degree elections. [1:51](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=111) They're second-degree not because they're less important, but because they aren't elections, uh, a popular vote, but they choose the others. [1:59](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=119) But it's the same thing. The people elect these new people so these new people can elect new people. [2:07](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=127) They don't elect the new people so they can get rid of the old people, or elect the, the new people so they can choose whoever the opposition wants. [2:15](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=135) Otherwise, the people would have created a balance in the Assembly, and that's very important. [2:21](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=141) In El Salvador, negotiations in the Assembly were always, always necessary. [2:27](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=147) Always, for better or worse. You know that in El Salvador, it was done with dirty money what we call here the black briefcases, because they literally carried the money in a briefcase— in a black briefcase. [2:42](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=162) And even, uh, I remember the conversation we had with the European Union representative, and she told me: “We don't want it to happen again, with our funds being stolen for the secret budget, as former President Funes d-did.” [2:57](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=177) And that money, and you know this because, well, it's been reported, et cetera, there are documents, signatures, et cetera. [3:03](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=183) That money was used to buy votes in the Legislative Assembly, to build parliamentary majorities and secure majorities that the people had not given. [3:12](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=192) What, what may seem strange to you is that for the first time There's an overwhelming majority, an absolute one, impressive, given one hundred percent by the people. [3:26](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=206) It's the first time. And mind you, I didn't expect a result like this either. [3:33](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=213) But as Barack Obama said, and it's not that he's the great philosopher of the 21st century, but he's someone with a position, who held an important position twice, and elections have consequences. [3:47](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=227) An overwhelming majority like that, which had never been seen in the history of El Salvador, is going to have consequences for the country. [3:54](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=234) And that's not eroding democracy, that's strengthening democracy. [3:59](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=239) Eroding it would mean doing the same old thing when people are voting for change. [4:05](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=245) And mind you, taking the peo— taking the de— the decision of the people as a whole, if the people had decided to give half the Assembly to a, to a party And the other half divided among everyone else, because there, the people would have said, “Look, [4:24](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=264) there are decisions we leave up to you alone, but there are decisions we want you to discuss with your opposition, with your opponents.” [4:32](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=272) But in this case, the people said, “That is the people's mandate, and no one is disputing it.” [4:36](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=276) The people said: “We’re giving you enough votes so you won’t have to negotiate with anyone and so you can make decisions on the first day, if necessary,” because you don’t have to sit for hours and hours negotiating or exchanging money for, or exchanging positions, I’ll give you the prosecutor and you’ll give me the, the attorney general, [4:52](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=292) because the people gave you an absolute mandate. [4:55](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=295) That’s unusual in democracies, but that’s what happened. When will it happen again? [5:02](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=302) I don’t know, but it happened in 2021. People will probably vote in 2024 for a more balanced Assembly. [5:09](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=309) But in 2021, people voted for an unbalanced Assembly, they voted, loaded the dice completely on one side, and said: “This is what I want, and this is where I want decisions to be made.” [5:17](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=317) But it was a completely democratic decision. [5:21](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=321) So, as I told you the last time we were here, our institutions, we have institutions that are strong and must be strengthened even more, but they are democratic institutions. [5:38](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=338) In other words, they are institutions that have the people's decision at the foundation of democracy. [5:44](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=344) If the people decided that those institutions should change, they have to change. [5:48](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=348) Because if the institutions don't change despite the people's decision that they should change, then they aren't democratic. [5:57](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=357) It'll be aristocratic, it'll be plutocratic, it'll be oligarchic, it'll be based on force, but it wouldn't be democratic. [6:08](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=368) For it to be a democratic institution, it has to follow the democratic mandate, and the democratic mandate is: replace them. [6:16](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=376) If we want to say, “No, ARENA and the FMLN, or the four constitutional law experts, say it has to be this way,” it wouldn't be a democratic institution, it would be aristocratic. [6:26](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=386) This elite I spoke with says it has to be this way. [6:30](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=390) But this isn't democracy, because the people said something else. [6:33](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/bgJImkw4Xalp/en/bukele-defends-legislative-majority-and-his-view-of-democracy-in-el-salvador?t=393) And keep in mind, I'm not talking about the people being able to say anything, I'm talking about what's written in the Constitution.