By Pablo Puentes (PT – El Salvador)
Every September, Salvadorans strive to evoke feelings of patriotism and civic pride as we commemorate our country’s independence. It is important to contrast the definition of independence against the rhetoric and practices of politicians who seek to convince us that we are an independent nation.
Independence is the state of being free and autonomous without being subject to the control, authority, or influence of others. Therefore, we can speak of independence when we have the capacity to make our own decisions and chart our own path forward. Similarly, a country or nation is considered independent if it governs itself without being dominated by another country and if it can sustain itself economically without depending on others.
Based on this, we can conclude that although El Salvador gained independence from Spanish colonial authority on September 15, 1821, like the other Central American countries, it has never truly been independent. One need only review the history books to see all the external influences that have dictated the fate of those who have lived and still live in these lands.
Some may recall Nayib Bukele’s words at the commemoration of the 201st anniversary of independence: “For the first time, it is not a government or an elite that is saying it; it is the people. For the first time, we have true freedom. I heard that people used to live in freedom and democracy. I don’t know what country they lived in—probably the country of the elites.” Therefore, it is worth analyzing whether we are truly independent, not only as a nation before the world, but also as citizens within our own country.
First, let’s analyze whether we are an independent nation. In the first quarter of 2025, El Salvador’s total gross external debt was estimated at $24.92687 billion. Total interest and amortization payments on the external debt are projected to reach $2.78466 billion this year, accounting for 28.8% of the nation’s general budget. Public debt totaled $32.107 billion at the end of 2024, and in May 2025, Fitch Ratings estimated that it would remain at around 87.8% of GDP. Interest and debt amortization payments are the main expenditure of the Salvadoran government for 2025. Economists say that Bukele’s government increased El Salvador’s debt by $12 billion in less than six years.
Less than 4% of the annual budget is allocated to education. When the calculation is made using the executed budget each year, it is found that during Nayib Bukele’s five-year term, only 3.92% of GDP was invested in education. The budget for health in 2024 was $1.146 billion, representing 8.6% of the total budget.
Clearly, no country that spends nearly a third (28.8%) of its budget on debt payments and invests just over 12% in health and education can be considered independent.
Another important aspect to consider is that El Salvador is projecting itself more than ever as the backyard of U.S. empire. Not only does Bukele continue to allow U.S. military bases on Salvadoran territory, he also seeks to become Trump’s jailer by making nefarious agreements that protect his corruption and criminal pact with the gangs. This pact has allowed him to reduce homicides before the state of emergency took effect (it has been in place for more than three years with more than 40 extensions).
Since we are discussing the state of emergency, let’s focus on independence within the country. We cannot deny the decline in homicides or the fact that many communities, once enslaved by gangs, are now free from their oppression. However, we must remember that security and the right to life are the state’s responsibility, not gifts from the current ruling elite. The state’s inability to guarantee these rights to the entire population, or its willingness to make dark and bloody pacts to do so, is no justification for giving up other rights to live free from gang violence.
This is why we must ask ourselves what price we are paying for these conditions to exist. Several surveys show that Salvadorans do not feel free to express their opinions. It’s clear that fear of persecution, imprisonment, disappearance, or even death at the hands of the governing regime is growing.
The regime seems to want to convince us that, in order for our right to life and freedom of movement to be respected, we must give up our freedom of opinion, thought, association, and religion. Religious leaders who dare criticize authoritarian measures are threatened, vilified, and imprisoned. One in every 59 Salvadorans is in prison, and their rights are not respected there. El Salvador has no separation of powers, rule of law, or right to due process.
El Salvador used to be a country polarized between the right and left. Now, it seems that citizens are being forced to stop thinking for themselves. Elements that seek to standardize consciousness are increasingly being introduced (the latest example is the new style imposed by the Minister of Education, who is a career military officer). There is a huge propaganda and advertising apparatus, as well as a troll apparatus whose function is to crush, vilify, and slander those who contradict the government.
True independence does not come from false messiahs or dictators who exploit their people to enrich themselves and their cronies. True independence can only come from the honest, hardworking people who struggle every day to survive. These people must take control of their destiny and true independence. To that end, we must insist that what we have today is neither good nor the least bad option available to us. That is why, in every neighborhood, district, factory, school, and university, people who work or study must be able to organize themselves. They must come together without depending on lying, failed, traitorous politicians. They must trust only in their own strength to remove from power those who are damaging our country today. Only then will we be truly independent, able to say, “El Salvador is free. El Salvador is independent. El Salvador belongs to its people.”
The Workers’ Party in El Salvador is at the service of our people to achieve this goal. We fight against those who oppress us today and seek true independence for our nation. We believe that only by organizing can we achieve our long-awaited goal. We renew our call to all sectors fighting to build an organization that will free us from our current oppressors.
Long live honest, hardworking people! Long live the Salvadoran students!
Down with those who sell our freedoms! Down with dictators and oppressors!
