Chapter 103: Old Ideas

390      more than an hour late Víctor Peña and Carlos Barrera, “The Day the Commander-in-Chief Militarized the Legislative Assembly,” El Faro, February 10, elfaro.net/es/202002/ef_foto/24005/El-d%C3%ADa-que-el-comandante-en-jefe-militariz%C3%B3-la-Asamblea-Legislativa.htm.

390      barbed-wire fencing Carlos Martínez, “‘Now I Think It’s Very Clear Who’s in Control of the Situation,’” El Faro, February 10, 2020, elfaro.net/es/202002/el_salvador/24006/“Ahora-creo-que-está-muy-claro-quién-tiene-el-control-de-la-situación”.htm, via Google Translate.

390      A dozen soldiers Peña and Barrera, “The Day the Commander-in-Chief Militarized the Legislative Assembly,” elfaro.net/es/202002/ef_foto/24005/El-d%C3%ADa-que-el-comandante-en-jefe-militariz%C3%B3-la-Asamblea-Legislativa.htm. 

390      “I promised during the campaign . . .” Bukele quoted in Martínez, “‘Now I Think It’s Very Clear Who’s in Control of the Situation,’” elfaro.net/es/202002/el_salvador/24006/“Ahora-creo-que-está-muy-claro-quién-tiene-el-control-de-la-situación”.htm.

390      “Today we are fulfilling that campaign promise” Bukele quoted in Martínez, “‘Now I Think It’s Very Clear Who’s in Control of the Situation,’” elfaro.net/es/202002/el_salvador/24006/“Ahora-creo-que-está-muy-claro-quién-tiene-el-control-de-la-situación”.htm.

390      “There is the Legislative Palace . . .” Bukele quoted in Martínez, “‘Now I Think It’s Very Clear Who’s in Control of the Situation,’’’ elfaro.net/es/202002/el_salvador/24006/“Ahora-creo-que-está-muy-claro-quién-tiene-el-control-de-la-situación”.htm.

390      “Now, what happened to make us . . .” Bukele quoted in Martínez, Now I Think It’s Very Clear Who’s in Control of the Situation,” elfaro.net/es/202002/el_salvador/24006/“Ahora-creo-que-está-muy-claro-quién-tiene-el-control-de-la-situación”.htm.

390      “How much money would you pay. . .” Bukele quoted in Martínez, “‘Now I Think It’s Very Clear Who’s in Control of the Situation,’”elfaro.net/es/202002/el_salvador/24006/“Ahora-creo-que-está-muy-claro-quién-tiene-el-control-de-la-situación”.htm.

390–391  “these criminals in the Legislative Assembly . . .” Bukele quoted in Martínez, “‘Now I Think It’s Very Clear Who’s in Control of the Situation,’” elfaro.net/es/202002/el_salvador/24006/“Ahora-creo-que-está-muy-claro-quién-tiene-el-control-de-la-situación”.htm.

391       “Nayib! Nayib! Nayib!” Crowd quoted in Martínez, “‘Now I Think It’s Very Clear Who’s in Control of the Situation,’” elfaro.net/es/202002/el_salvador/24006/“Ahora-creo-que-está-muy-claro-quién-tiene-el-control-de-la-situación”.htm.

391       refusing . . . a $109 million bank loan Marcos Aleman, “El Salvador Standoff Deepens over Loan for Security Forces,” Associated Press (AP) News, February 9, 2020, apnews.com/general-news-484506fa419639890c813d97ad736976. 

391       called a special session . . . and urged “the Salvadoran people to come” Nayib Bukele, Twitter, February 7, 2020, 11:37 a.m., x.com/nayibbukele/status/1225820885761888256. 

391       “the constitutional order” Nayib Bukele quoted in Aleman, “El Salvador Standoff Deepens over Loan for Security Forces,” apnews.com/general-news-484506fa419639890c813d97ad736976. 

391       “dictatorship” FLMN party quoted in Aleman, “El Salvador Standoff Deepens over Loan for Security Forces,” apnews.com/general-news-484506fa419639890c813d97ad736976. 

391       dozens of soldiers and police officers Aleman, “El Salvador Standoff Deepens over Loan for Security Forces,” apnews.com/general-news-484506fa419639890c813d97ad736976. 

391       posted loyalty oaths Loyalty oaths were posted by Fuerza Armada (the armed forces of El Salvador) and PNC El Salvador (the National Civil Police) on Twitter. Fuerza Armada, Twitter, February 8, 2020, 8:06 p.m., x.com/FUERZARMADASV/status/1226311491168632833, archived at archive.today, February 9, 2026 capture, archive.ph/wip/Xx7iQ; and PNC El Salvador, Twitter, February 8, 2020, 11:46 p.m., x.com/PNCSV/status/1226366707394105344, archived at archive.today, February 9, 2026 capture, archive.ph/wip/iH4A4.