translated from Spanish: Church supports state of emergency for coronavirus in El Salvador

San Salvador.- The Catholic Church of El Salvador on Sunday expressed its support for the declaration of a state of emergency in the country to contain the spread of the coronavirus, while the Government prepares more quarantine shelters. Congress passed Saturday night, following an intense day of meetings and discussions that began Friday, a law limiting some constitutional freedoms for 15 days at the request of President Nayib Bukele.
The Archbishop of San Salvador and the principal Salvadoran Catholic hierarchical, José Luis Escobar, congratulated the authorities “for all the measures that have been taken, to avoid the contamination of our people by the coronavirus”. He also highlighted “the prompt and timely compliance with the protocols established for these cases of global pandemics” and “the timely enactment” of a national emergency on The morning of Saturday morning. Escobar called on the rulers to “take the most convenient measures in prisons and maquilas, to avoid any contagion in those places, for if it were to occur, it would be of very serious consequences.” Despite the approval of the national emergency and the state of emergency, which will take effect after publication in the Official Journal, the religious noted that it has not ordered the closure of churches.

Nayib Bukele, president of El Salvador. Photo: AP

Efe found that in some temples in San Salvador Sunday rites were performed with relative normality, only the church known as Don Rua used technology to transmit a mass via social media without the presence of parishioners. For his part, the Bukele Executive prepares new shelters to enable them as quarantine centers and a temporary hospital in the Fair and Convention Center (CIFCO) with 300 intensive care units and 2,000 hospital beds. The Ministry of Health reported on its social networks that external consultation services are suspended and limited the hours of visits to relatives of people admitted to public hospitals to have medical staff to deal with possible cases of COVID-19. Only emergency services, care for patients with chronic diseases and chemotherapy and dialysis were enabled.
Please understand. It’s common sense: if it’s not extremely necessary, don’t leave your homes,” Bukele posted on their networks.

Bukele revealed on saturday night that he received “37 tests conducted on people considered at risk: all refusals of #COVID19”, without these cases being publicly handled as suspects. The Salvadoran Government submits that so far no suspicious or positive cases of COVID-19 have been detected in the country. The entry of foreigners to the country is prohibited and Salvadorans entering from abroad must undergo 30 days of quarantine. Other measures taken by the country are the closure of bars and nightclubs for 14 days. The approved state of emergency limits the rights of freedom of transit, peaceful assembly and not being forced to change places of residence. The COVID-19 pandemic is advancing through Central America and already affecting Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala and Panama. 



Original source in Spanish