During a U.S. congressional delegation to El Salvador this week, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) interviewed Vice President Félix Ulloa for The Matt Gaetz Show on One America News (OAN). The visit, planned weeks in advance, contrasts with unannounced trips by other U.S. lawmakers who were denied meetings with President Nayib Bukele.
The discussion centered on El Salvador’s Territorial Control Plan (PCT), a seven-phase security strategy credited with reducing homicides by over 90% since 2019. Ulloa emphasized that six phases are already active, with the final “Integration” phase — including university scholarships for public-school students — launched recently.
Key Insights from the Interview
- Judicial Threats & Systemic Corruption
Ulloa revealed how gangs infiltrated institutions to obstruct justice pre-PCT:
«A judge came to my office crying, showing me a photo of her daughters sent by a gang leader. He warned: “If you judge or convict me, I know who they are and where they study.”»
He added: «This was common. Even the police were infiltrated. No sector was free from gangs.» - Cross-Branch Collaboration
Success required alignment between El Salvador’s three branches of government:
«The PCT demanded collaboration between the Judiciary, Legislature, and Executive. We reformed penal codes to increase prison sentences for gang crimes and fast-track prosecutions.» - Criticism of Past Policies
Ulloa condemned the 2012 gang truce brokered by the FMLN government, which he claims was tacitly endorsed internationally:
«The OAS came to bless that pact. The people suffered, yet no one globally condemned it.» - State of Exception & Bukele’s Resolve
After gangs murdered 87 people in March 2022, Bukele declared a state of exception to escalate arrests. Ulloa quoted him:
«The President said: “No way” we’d allow gangs to keep terrorizing our people.»
You might also like: Nayib Bukele’s ‘Judicial Coup’ Warning: How El Salvador Cleaned the House
Interesting facts to mention
El Salvador’s security success has drawn attention from high-profile U.S. figures:
- Tucker Carlson & Donald Trump Jr.: A day before Bukele’s June 2024 inauguration, Carlson interviewed Trump Jr. in San Salvador for The Tucker Carlson Show. The discussion, later uploaded to Trump Jr.’s Rumble channel, explored bipartisan U.S. interest in replicating Bukele’s policies.
You might also like: Donald Trump Jr. Arrives in El Salvador for the Inauguration of President Nayib Bukele
- Contrasting Visits: While Gaetz’s delegation coordinated with Salvadoran officials, unplanned visits by Democratic lawmakers were declined, highlighting polarized U.S. views on Bukele’s methods.
