re: El Salvador President: "You only pay high taxes to maintain the illusion..."

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Bukele has told aides that he won’t meet with any Biden officials until the U.S. softens criticism raising doubts about his commitment to democracy and the rule of law, according to the two people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity given the diplomatic sensitivities.

Specifically, the two said Bukele was angered by State Department spokesman Ned Price’s comments Monday that the U.S. looks forward to Bukele restoring a “strong separation of powers where they’ve been eroded and demonstrate his government’s commitment to transparency and accountability.”

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The State Department said Zuniga had sought a wide range of meetings in El Salvador, including with Bukele. In the end he met with Foreign Minister Alexandra Hill, Attorney General Raul Melara — a sharp critic of Bukele — as well as business leaders and representatives of nongovernmental organizations.

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For all his combativeness, the 39-year-old Bukele is by far the most popular politician in Central America, a region plagued by corruption and criminality. His New Ideas party swept legislative elections by a landslide last month and Bukele, who cultivates the image of a hip pragmatist, has sought to leverage China’s growing influence in the region to court new foreign investment.

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