Four months ago, El Salvador's President, Nayib Bukele, made international headlines with his crackdown on the infamous criminal organization known as MS-13. His anti-gang initiative has revolutionized Central America, encouraging other countries in the region, such as Honduras, to follow suit. After being elected to Presidency in 2019, Bukele proposed the idea of uniting all of Central America similarly to the "European Union," with the goal of stabilizing the area's economy and political landscape.
Shortly after Spain's colonial rule was ousted from Central America (in 1821), the Mexican Empire (consisting of present-day Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Guatemala) formed. But, the unification only lasted for a few years. Subsequently, in 1823 El Salvador joined the Federal Republic of Central America, a union featuring neighboring countries like Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. This political merger endured until around 1841, when El Salvador became independent once and for all. Now, Bukele would like to revisit the concept with new modifications.
"The time has come for us to unite Central America, with open borders or some kind of community of nations like the European Union," Bukele said. “The new generation will make it happen because the divisions created 200 years ago no longer mean anything to them."
Source: Instagram
