Chicago will 'go up in flames' when city's gangs and Tren de Aragua clash, ex-con warns: ‘It’ll be blacks against migrants’



The South Side of Chicago is becoming overrun with Venezuelan migrants, including members of the violent Tren de Aragua gang, according to locals.

Members of the Chicago-based street patrol and violence prevention program Ex-Cons for Community and Social Change recently warned the New York Post that the city will “go up in flames” when local gangs and Tren de Aragua clash.

'Democrats are selling us down the river.'

Tyrone Muhammad, ECCSC founder and CEO, is a former gang member who spent two decades in prison for murder, the Post reported. Now, Muhammad is a social change advocate who has “taught self-development programs aimed at reducing recidivism, such as behavior modification, social and emotional training, critical thinking, job interviewing skills, budgeting, financing, and resume writing,” according to his organization’s website.

Muhammad, 53, recently told the Post, “It is impossible to release gang members and criminals into our country through the borders and broken walls and infiltrate them in our community that’s already impoverished and broken.”

He also warned, “When the black gangs here get fed up with the illegalities and criminal activities of these migrants or noncitizens, the city of Chicago is going to go up in flames, and there will be nothing the National Guard or the government can do about it when the bloodshed hits the streets. It’ll be blacks against migrants."

Tren de Aragua, a transnational criminal organization, has rapidly expanded its presence in the U.S. in recent years, including reportedly taking over some apartment complexes in Aurora, Colorado, Blaze News previously reported.

Sources told the Post that Tren de Aragua members residing in the Chicago area are armed and brazen. The South Side neighborhood has been home to many gangs, including Gangster Disciples, Black P Stones, Vice Lords, Latin Kings, and Satan Disciples. With TDA spilling into the area as well, some are concerned about potential growing conflict.

Many Venezuelan migrants, including gang members, have been residing at the Standard Club shelter in downtown Chicago. The shelter’s employees told the Post that there has not been any criminal activity at the property and insisted that TDA members are not living there.

However, Freedom of Information Act requests submitted by Muhammad and Terry Newsome, a Chicago activist, revealed 720 police incident reports concerning sex trafficking, child pornography, drugs, carjackings, weapons, and spousal violence at the location over the last 12 months, the Post reported.

'They be moving in our own territory and robbing people, but they don’t get arrested like we do.'

South Side residents, including gang members, told the paper they are angry and frustrated with the city for its handling of the new immigrant arrivals.

David, a Gangster Disciples member, stated, “The real issue is that America has allowed gangs to enter our country.”

“Gangs that they would consider ex-terrorist groups. They let terrorist groups into our country!” he shouted.

Zacc Massie — whom the Post described as a street leader who recently got out of prison — said, “There’s been a lot going on with [the migrant gangs] that nobody’s even hearing about.”

“They be moving in our own territory and robbing people, but they don’t get arrested like we do," Massie remarked. "I actually talked to one on the translator app. He told me all the things he got going on; how they helped him get a car, an apartment, [EBT] card, all this stuff. They giving them thousands, we get maybe $400 a month. And they don’t even have Social Security numbers!”

Corey Rogers, a Black P Stone member, added to the Post, “What bothers me is that the Venezuelans are united.”

“The black gangs are too divided, and they take each other down,” Rogers explained.

Muhammad formed Ex-Cons for Trump after he felt Democrats had failed inner-city residents.

“It’s not so much Trump himself; it’s that the Democrats are selling us down the river,” he told the Post. “The bougie [upwardly mobile] blacks might like Kamala Harris, but she isn’t going to do anything for us.”

Rev. Corey Brooks echoed similar sentiments to the paper about failed Democratic policies: “Chicago is a blue city and Illinois is a blue state, but people are starting to wake up. It’s not about the person; it’s about the policies. I’ve seen what’s happening with my own eyes when it comes to the migrant criminal gangs, and it’s very concerning.”

The Chicago mayor’s office did not respond to a request for comment from the Post.

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Democratic Governor Of State Impacted By Venezuelan Gangs Claims Party Should Have ‘Huge’ Advantage On Border

'We need to secure the border'

Dishonest Media Dismiss Illegal Immigrant Cartel Violence Near Denver

[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://thefederalist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Screenshot-2024-08-29-at-4.14.32 PM-1200x675.png crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//thefederalist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Screenshot-2024-08-29-at-4.14.32%5Cu202fPM-1200x675.png%22%7D" expand=1]Venezuelan cartel members have taken over apartment complexes in a Denver suburb. Local media have been dismissing these claims for weeks.

Venezuelan street gang Tren de Aragua given 'green light' to shoot police officers: Reports



The violent Venezuelan street gang Tren de Aragua has given its members a "green light" to attack and shoot police officers, according to multiple reports.

The gang reportedly has notified members that it's open season on law enforcement officers in the United States, the New York Post reported, citing a government memo the paper said it obtained.

'Today’s designation of Tren de Aragua as a significant Transnational Criminal Organization underscores the escalating threat it poses to American communities.'

The alleged memo from the Homeland Security Investigations office in Chicago advises staffers to be “vigilant” as they come across gang members or affiliates of the gang.

“Credible human sources from Colorado provided information on TdA [Tren de Aragua] giving a ‘green light’ to fire on or attack law enforcement,” read the alleged memo.

The memo reportedly added, “As you may know, we have a TdA presence here in Chicago, so please be vigilant as you encounter TdA members or affiliates during your investigative and operational activities."

The Post added that the intel from Colorado came through the Albuquerque Police Department in New Mexico.

The alert regarding the dangerous Tren de Aragua directive also was noted in a bulletin from the Colorado Information Analysis Center, Fox News reported. The cable network added that Albuquerque police had received the concerning information from "federal partners."

"The Albuquerque New Mexico Police Department (APD) has released this officer safety bulletin to notify law enforcement of information regarding the Tren De Aragua criminal organization and reports that TDA members in Denver have been given a 'green light' to fire on or attack law enforcement," the alleged bulletin read.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned Tren de Aragua for "engaging in diverse criminal activities, such as human smuggling and trafficking, gender-based violence, money laundering, and illicit drug trafficking."

Brian Nelson, under secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, stated on July 11 that “today’s designation of Tren de Aragua as a significant Transnational Criminal Organization underscores the escalating threat it poses to American communities.”

Nelson vowed to "deploy all tools and authorities against organizations like Tren de Aragua that prey on vulnerable populations to generate revenue, engage in a range of criminal activities across borders, and abuse the U.S. financial system."

On the same day, the U.S. State Department offered up to a $12 million reward for information leading to the arrests and/or convictions of the gang’s leaders.

Specifically the State Department offered rewards ranging from $3 million to $5 million for information leading to the arrests and/or convictions of Tren de Aragua leaders Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero, also known as ”Niño Guerrero,” Yohan Jose Romero, a.k.a. “Johan Petrica,” and Giovanny San Vicente, a.k.a. “Giovanny,” “Viejo Viejo,” and “El Viejo.”

Members of Tren de Aragua have infiltrated the U.S. by crossing the southern border illegally and asking for asylum.

As Blaze News previously reported, two illegal immigrants tied to Tren de Aragua were accused of attacking two NYPD officers in January.

A report released last month found that more than 100 criminal investigations in the U.S. are tied to Tren de Aragua.

Jose Ibarra, the illegal immigrant accused of murdering Georgia nursing student Laken Riley, is reportedly a member of Tren de Aragua.

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Missouri lawmaker's missionary daughter, son-in-law 'went to Heaven together' after murdered, set on fire by gang in Haiti



The daughter and son-in-law of a Missouri lawmaker were murdered and set on fire by a gang while serving as missionaries in Haiti, according to reports.

The young couple, as well as a third victim, were killed in a brutal attack that reportedly took place on Thursday night in the community of Lizon in northern Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital.

The three victims were identified as 23-year-old Davy Lloyd, 21-year-old Natalie Lloyd, and 45-year-old Jude Montis. All three victims were members of the Missions in Haiti, Inc. The organization was founded by David and Alicia Lloyd – Davy’s parents. The compound – which educated roughly 450 children – included an orphanage that housed about 50 kids, a school, and a church.

Davy grew up on the Missions in Haiti compound.

Hannah Cornett, Davy's sister, told the Associated Press, "Davy spoke Creole before he spoke English. It was home. Haiti was all we knew."

Natalie joined the organization in August 2022 after the couple got married that June. The pair were "full-time missionaries" in Haiti, according to her father – Missouri State Rep. Ben Baker.

Montis was the group's Haitian director for two decades and a pastor with a wife and two young children.

Gang members allegedly ambushed the trio at the compound on Thursday.

David Lloyd, 48, told the Wall Street Journal, "They tied up my son and beat him. They got three vehicles. They got a bunch of equipment, money, I had my payroll in there for the week."

The distraught father said that Davy was able to untie himself, and the trio managed to flee to a small house on the compound.

Davy called his father during the chaotic scene.

"As they were going down there [to the house], he was telling me what was stolen and what had been done to him," Lloyd explained. "And as he’s talking to me, he says, 'Dad, something is going on. There a bunch more guys and I think they may be back.' He thought it was the same gang that was coming back and he didn’t know what was going on."

The couple and Montis barricaded themselves in the house. However, the gang members allegedly "ended up shooting all the windows out and shooting the house up."

The gang members allegedly infiltrated the house and murdered all three missionaries by shooting them.

The news outlet reported that there is a video of the grisly crime scene showing "three bodies sprawled on the floor, with those of Davy Lloyd and Montis having been burned."

The Oklahoma-based Mission in Haiti said Davy, Natalie, and Jude were "shot and killed by the gang about 9 o'clock" on Thursday.

My heart is broken in a thousand pieces. I've never felt this kind of pain.

Representative Baker shared a photo of the slain couple on Facebook with the heartbreaking caption:

My heart is broken in a thousand pieces. I’ve never felt this kind of pain. Most of you know my daughter and son-in-law Davy and Natalie Lloyd are full-time missionaries in Haiti. They were attacked by gangs this evening and were both killed. They went to Heaven together. Please pray for my family we desperately need strength. And please pray for the Lloyd family as well. I have no other words for now.

Baker said "things are looking very positive" for the transport home of the bodies of Davy and Natalie.

"We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the two U.S. citizens killed by gangs in Haiti," U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement.

Miller added, "Unfortunately, this serves as a reminder that the security situation in Haiti cannot wait – too many innocent lives are being lost."

As of Saturday evening, a GoFundMe campaign for the Baker and Lloyd families had raised more than $53,000. Another GoFundMe campaign for the funeral expenses of the young couple had reached over $45,000.

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The Economist beclowns itself, recommending against adoption of El Salvador's successful anti-crime policies



The Economist claims to "produce journalism of sometimes radical opinion with a reverence for facts." Judging from a recent Economist article concerning Latin America's problems with crime, it appears the London-based publication might be short on reverence.

A May 8 article entitled "How to pacify the world's most violent region" kicks off with a note on crime in Durán, Ecuador, where the murder rate last year was 148 per 100,000 residents. The article suggests that Durán is the "worst example of a scourge that has brought misery to Latin America. Despite being home to just 8% of the world's population, the region accounts for a third of its murders."

The anonymous author suggested that to remedy such nightmarish states of play, Latin American leaders might reflexively resort to "mano dura, the iron fist."

'Officials from across the region praise and seek to copy what they call the "Bukele model." They shouldnt.'

While admitting that this tough-on-crime approach has recently worked, the Economist author concluded that the crime-fighting approach that transformed El Salvador from a gang-ravaged and blood-soaked battlefield into a nation with fewer murders nationally than Chicago experiences in a year is not worth attempting.

"Officials from across the region praise and seek to copy what they call the 'Bukele model.' They shouldn't," wrote the anonymous author.

The article has been slapped with a Community Notes fact-check on X and ridiculed by Bukele himself.

The 'Bukele model'

Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, 42, was re-elected president earlier this year with over 83% of the vote. His party also swept the National Assembly, securing 58 out of 60 seats.

A large part of what has made Bukele so beloved and popular amongst Salvadorans is his approach to crime. Bukele regards violent crime as a cancer and gangs as "metastases" in need of excision.

Blaze News previously reported that there were 51 homicides per 100,000 in 2018, the year prior to Bukele's election. Under his leadership, the homicide rate had fallen to 7.8 by 2022 such that the country saw fewer homicides that year (495) than were reported in Chicago during the same time period (695).

According to Reuters, Salvadoran security authorities observed the number of homicides drop again in 2023, this time by 70%, leaving the nation with a murder rate of 2.4 per every 100,000, bested only by Canada. America's mortality rate, by way of comparison, is 8 per 100,000.

In order to bring about this end, Bukele's administration took extreme measures, admittedly cracking down on some civil rights and throwing over 1% of the adult population into jail. The anti-crime measures have largely angered foreign leftists such as Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and liberal publications, including the Economist.

The armchair critic's model

The anonymous Economist author stated as a fact that the Bukele model "undermines justice systems and leads to authoritarianism" then concluded it "will not work elsewhere."

The author reasoned that the Bukele-style crackdown worked in El Salvador but would alternatively fail in Mexico or Ecuador because of the caliber of the gangs, which have included MS-13.

The Economist did not go so far as to suggest criminal groups in other Latin American countries are impervious to bullets. Instead, it suggested they are "much richer and better armed and can often draw on help from foreign criminal affiliates. ... Such groups are unlikely to be defeated through force alone."

Instead of throwing violent criminals in prison or the ground, the Economist recommended the legalization of cocaine production and consumption. Recognizing, however, that is unlikely to happen, the anonymous author suggested that governments spare the gangs and bosses and instead "aim to discourage their most violent members from brutal acts."

In addition to creating government incentives for murderers not to keep murdering — citing Mexico as an exemplar — the Economist recommended leaning on police action contra military action; avoid mass incarceration; and keeping kids in school.

Backlash

When shared to X, the article was swiftly tagged with a community note linking to a Reuters article that highlights the precipitous drop in crime under the Bukele model.

Bukele responded to the article, which was captioned, "Gangs are gaining ground in Latin America. This is why iron-fist policies won't beat them back," with "We just did."

In addition to sharing the article, Bukele noted in a follow up, "There was a 70% drop in 2023… However, since the approval of the Exception Regime, there has been a 86% drop, and since we entered the government in 2019, the drop has reached 95%. We project a 97% drop for 2024."

There was a 70% drop in 2023\u2026\n\nHowever, since the approval of the Exception Regime, there has been a 86% drop, and since we entered the government in 2019, the drop has reached 95%.\n\nWe project a 97% drop for 2024.\n\nReceipts: https://t.co/SMlpyQcaf6
— (@)

Max Keiser, a senior adviser to Bukele and so-called Bitcoin bull, tweeted, "Restoring human rights for 6 1/2 million Salvadorans has virtually eliminated gang violence. El Salvador is now the safest country in the hemisphere. The Economist's blatant and grotesque act of journalistic malpractice here is mind boggling."

Blaze News columnist Auron MacIntyre responded, "The main purpose of the press is to lecture you about the evils of living in a well ordered and prosperous society."

The main purpose of the press is to lecture you about the evils of living in a well ordered and prosperous society
— (@)

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‘Burglary tourism’: Foreign gangs exploit tourist visa system to rob affluent neighborhoods in Los Angeles



The Los Angeles Police Department recently formed a special task force to address an increase in burglaries targeting affluent neighborhoods, the Los Angeles Times reported Friday.

Authorities are warning residents that “burglary tourism” has been on the rise over the last five years, with organized groups from South America entering the United States for the purpose of robbing homes.

LAPD Chief Dominic Choi stated Tuesday, “I can tell you that we have a significant increase in burglaries from organized groups that are outside this country, that are coming into the country, and they are targeting high-end residents.”

In some of those instances, the thieves exploit the tourist visa system, which does not require a background check to gain entry into the country.

LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton told the Times that the organized groups have become more active in recent months despite an overall decline in burglaries.

“The number of crimes tied to these kind of crews are way, way up,” he warned. “They often target homes often connected to open spaces, hiking trails, and canyons that give them access.”

Hamilton noted that the thieves “tend to not carry guns” to avoid additional charges. However, he cautioned that they bring jamming devices to disrupt security systems.

The South American gangs, mainly from Chile, Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia, target homes in wealthy neighborhoods where they steal jewelry, designer purses, and other high-value items. The stolen goods are sold for cash, and robbers send their profits back home.

District Attorney of Orange County Todd Spitzer (R) stated that the Chilean government has refused to provide the U.S. government with the criminal history of its citizens who use the Electronic System for Travel Authorization to come into the country, despite being required to do so. As a result, prosecutors have a difficult time linking the thefts to organized gang activity, and they often receive a single charge for burglary, he explained.

The Chilean Embassy in Los Angeles did not respond to the Times’ request for comment.

The Irvine Police Department posted on social media Saturday, “Over the past 35 days, there have been 34 residential burglaries in Irvine. One trend we are seeing is suspects knocking down or disabling cameras. The second is suspects climbing to the second story and entering through a window or door.”

The department urged residents to apply security film to glass doors and windows, install a security system, and place lights on a timer so the home looks occupied.

Similar burglaries linked to organized foreign gangs have been reported in high-end neighborhoods in Arizona, particularly residences that back up to a wash or golf course, KSAZ-TV reported.

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Illegal alien twice cut loose from sanctuary county jail now accused of killing a 2-year-old Maryland boy



An illegal alien from El Salvador has been arrested and charged with murder in connection to the Feb. 8 slaying of a 2-year-old Maryland boy, Jeremy Poou-Caceres, and the grievous wounding of the boy's mother.

Prior to allegedly killing the child, Salvadoran national Nilson Granados-Trejo was twice arrested and twice freed in a nearby sanctuary county despite an outstanding removal order and detainer requests from immigration officials.

Illegally imported turf wars

According to the Prince George's County Police Department, a detective working in the area of the 1400 block of Kanawha Street in Langley Park heard gunfire and attempted to locate the source. What the detective ultimately found was a dying toddler beside his wounded mother.

Jeremy Poou-Caceres was taken to a hospital, where he died shortly thereafter. His 17-year-old mother, apparently struck in the leg, survived the attack and was released from the hospital days later.

Police indicated that the mother and child were not the intended targets. A witness reportedly saw two of the suspected shooters take shots at another group of thugs during a dispute over drug territory, striking Jeremy and his mother.

The boy's mother, whose identity has been concealed in some reports because she is a teen victim and a witness, claimed she was pushing her son in a stroller down Kanawha street when two groups of thugs began shooting, reported WRC-TV.

"I grabbed my son and tried to save my son. That was all I could think about," said the bereaved mother.

The suspects

The PGPD initially identified four suspects including a 15-year-old male from Takoma Park and a 16-year-old male from Hyattsville, both of whom have been charged as adults.

Police also arrested Israel Fuentes Jr. and Johnny Alejandro Turcios, 28.

The PGPD later arrested 25-year-old Nilson Granados-Trejo, an illegal alien from El Salvador, on Feb. 23. Like the others, Granados-Trejo has been charged with first- and second-degree murder. Police also charged him with two counts of first-degree assault, second-degree assault, and attempted murder.

Granados-Trejo is being held at the Department of Corrections on a no-bond status.

Investigators were able to track down the suspects thanks in part to surveillance video taken at a convenience store in Silver Spring. The video taken around 9:45 p.m. the day before the shooting clearly shows a number of the men who were riding around in the previously stolen Ford Explorer that ultimately served as the shooters' getaway vehicle.

An AK-47-style rifle was reportedly found inside the car after it was ditched by the suspects.

Bloody sanctuary

James Covington, a spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations Baltimore, confirmed to WTTG-TV that Nilson Granados-Trejo is in the country illegally and hails from El Salvador.

In November 2022, a Department of Justice immigration judge in Newark, New Jersey, reportedly ordered the the future murder suspect's deportation. It clearly did not take.

Granados-Trejo was arrested on March 21, 2023, and charged with theft by the Montgomery County Police Department.

According to the Center for Immigration Studies, Montgomery County, like Prince George's County, is a sanctuary for illegal aliens. ICE reportedly filed a immigration detainer for Granados-Trejo but indicated that the Montgomery County Detention Center refused to honor the detainer.

Granados-Trejo was cut loose on March 27, 2023.

It was not long until Granados-Trejo found himself once more in MCPD custody. He was arrested on Sept. 26, 2023, for alleged theft, obstruction, and hindering. Once again, ICE reportedly lodged an immigration detainer, and once again the MCDC cut him loose.

Several months after his Oct. 12, 2023, release from the MCDC, Granados-Trejo ended up in PGPD custody for allegedly murdering a child.

Covington indicated ERO Baltimore lodged an immigration detainer with the Prince George's County Detention Center against Granados-Trejo on Feb. 27.

A preventable trend

Multitudes of Americans have been subjected to violence by illegal aliens in recent years. There have been a number of particularly egregious instances in recent days and weeks.

The lifeless and brutalized remains of Laken Hope Riley, a 22-year-old Georgia nursing student, were found at the University of Georgia intramural fields on Thursday. Blaze News previously reported that the young woman's suspected killer is 26-year-old Jose Antonio Ibarra, an illegal alien from Venezuela who stole into the country in September 2022.

Ibarra was eligible for deportation in 2023 after being accused in Queens, New York, of felony child endangerment as well as shoplifting in Georgia, reported the New York Post.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) blasted President Joe Biden in a letter Saturday, stating, "More than nine million illegal immigrants have crossed the border since you took office – with an additional, unknown number of migrants who were not detained and processed – while at least 58 people on the terror watchlist have been encountered between ports of entry this fiscal year alone."

"While the dangers of this crisis have never been theoretical, this week our state witnessed a devastating tragedy," added Kemp.

Authorities in Louisiana announced Tuesday that they had apprehended an illegal alien from Honduras suspected of raping and assaulting a little girl.Angel Matias Castellanos-Orellana was arrested for armed robbery, aggravated battery, first-degree rape, and aggravated assault.

"Illegal immigrants continue to be a challenge to local law enforcement for many reasons," Kenner Police Department Chief Keith Conley underscored in his announcement of the arrest. "We are glad he is off our streets, but will he be back? Will he have a new identity? What other crimes has he committed since he crossed our borders?"

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El Salvadoran president coolly brushes off Ilhan Omar's election meddling, then flips her critique



Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) took a break from Somali politicking Wednesday to call on the Biden administration to meddle in El Salvador's domestic affairs ahead of its national election.

El Salvador's hugely popular president thanked the radical congresswoman for sparing him from her endorsement ahead of his likely re-election Sunday. After indicating precisely what her "attacks" meant to him, President Nayib Bukele flipped the script on Omar and other concern-mongers.

A 'threat to democracy' supported by 90% of voters

Bukele, 42, has transformed El Salvador from a blood-soaked gangland into a nation with the second-lowest homicide rate in the Americas — all inside a five-year window.

There were 51 homicides per 100,000 in 2018, the year prior to Bukele's initial election. The homicide rate fell to 7.8 in 2022 under his leadership, such that El Salvador saw fewer homicides that year (495) than were reported in Chicago during the same period (695). The homicide rate in El Salvador last year was reportedly 2.4 per 100,000.

To achieve this end, Bukele's administration has taken extreme measures, admittedly overstepping and cracking down on some civil rights. His administration has also allegedly thrown over 2% of the adult population behind bars, most of whom are supposedly suspected or known gang members.

Bukele's crackdown on crime, selective suspension of civil liberties, and warrantless arrests have earned him the loathing of both Democrats and liberal publications — the Economist said he was poised to "become Latin America's first Millennial dictator." However, his ability to bring relative peace to El Salvador has also won him the support of his countrymen.

According to Reuters, Bukele's approval ratings hover around 90%. The South China Morning Post indicated that a January 2024 opinion poll from the University of Central America's Public Opinion Institute indicated 82% of voters supported Bukele. By way of contrast, the latest Economist/YouGov poll put President Joe Biden's disapproval rating at 54%.

Tyler Mattiace, Americas researcher at Human Rights Watch, characterized Bukele as "one of the biggest risks for human rights and for democracy that we see in Latin America right now" but acknowledged the president is popular because of his perceived efficacy.

"Bukele is incredibly popular," said Mattiace. "We see a growing number of people in countries across Latin America who are supporting this kind of authoritarian populism because they believe that it could be the only way to address rising levels of violence."

Bukele's approach might be appealing to those nations that observed the utter failure of leftist Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador's "hugs not bullets" approach.

Omar gets involved in another foreign election

Just days after supporting the re-election of Said Abdullahi Deni, head of the northeastern Somali state of Puntland, Rep. Ilhan Omar led other leftist Democrats in urging Secretary of State Antony Blinken to "address ongoing threats to democracy and human rights in El Salvador."

"President Bukele is amassing power and establishing authoritarian rule in El Salvador. The Members of Congress are urging the State Department to review its relationship with El Salvador and use America's diplomatic influence to defend democratic values," said a statement accompanying the letter.

Democrats and the liberal media have in recent weeks increasingly conflated democracy and its well-being with electoral results they find preferable.

"President Bukele has also, during his first term, overseen the militarized harassment of the legislature, a significant erosion of judicial independence, and the de facto criminalization of civil society," said the letter. "Much of this persecution has been done with the active complicity of El Salvador's judicial system."

While Omar's letter suggested that "it is not the place of the United States government to determine who is eligible to run for President in a foreign country, nor to pick winners," she nevertheless suggested that the United States lean on El Salvador ahead of its election.

The letter tells Blinken to

  • "restrict security assistance and other support for the Salvadoran police and military";
  • rework aid mechanisms to ensure direct funding to NGOs and "Salvadoran civil society" rather than through intermediaries;
  • denounce the legal mechanism by which Bukele has curbed gang violence; and
  • send "an unequivocal message on the importance of respecting constitutional and democratic norms."

"The State Dept must review its relationship with El Salvador and defend democratic values," added Omar. "The Salvadoran people deserve free and fair elections without fear of repression."

The congresswoman's post was quickly slapped with community notes highlighting that Bukele was democratically elected with a clear majority in 2019; his party secured a majority in the legislative assembly; and a "president can be re-elected in El Salvador if in the 6 months prior to taking office he was not in charge."

Bukele thanks Omar

Bukele responded to Omar Wednesday on X, writing, "We are HONORED to receive your attacks, just days before OUR election."

"I would be very worried if we had your support," added Bukele. "Thank you."

In addition to retweeting Omar's post, ostensibly as a badge of honor, Bukele turned Omar's critique around, writing, "I think the United States should have free and fair elections."

I think the United States should have free and fair elections.
— (@)

The El Salvadoran president continued trolling Omar, sharing a critic's comment noting, "Democrats ask to interfere in El Salvador's elections so that they are 'clean.' The joke tells itself."

Bukele also shared a comment stating, "Considering recent history, perhaps [Bukele] could send some Salvadorian electoral officials to the US to help ensure free and fair elections."

— (@)

Milena Mayorga, El Salvador's ambassador to the U.S., added, "Then they say they do not interfere in our elections."

Soon, others piled on, ridiculing Omar and celebrating Bukele's response.

Former Rep. Mayra Flores Vallejo (R-Texas) wrote, "We need more Presidents like [Bukele] in the world. @Ilhan doesn't represent America. She has not love or respect for our country."

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) noted that Bukele "is bringing peace and prosperity to El Salvador. He's doing a fantastic job of ridding their streets of violent cartel thugs and fighting for his people!"

Roger Kimball, editor and publisher of the New Criterion, stressed that Bukele, "along with Javier Millei, is the most impressive leader in the Western hemisphere."

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FACT CHECK: Video Falsely Claims Ecuadorian Fugitive Gang Leader Has Been Apprehended

The video, originally shared on YouTube by BBC News, shows Macias being moved to a maximum security prison back in August 2023