Salvadorans in Washington D.C. Show Support for President of El Salvador

April 21, 2025 TruthUSA

The deportation battle of Kilmar Abrego Garcia did not attract comments, but Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele received favorable attention from Salvadorans in the U.S. capital.

WASHINGTON—On April 18, Good Friday, the weather in Washington, D.C., was warm and sunny—a brief respite before the humid climate sets in.

In the Mount Pleasant neighborhood, men from El Salvador, Guatemala, and other Central American countries socialized, played cards, and engaged in conversations. This neighborhood has hosted Salvadoran establishments since the 1960s.

A Catholic church, the Shrine of the Sacred Heart, attracted a crowd, embodying the strong Catholic faith prevalent in the area.

Despite political divisions in the nation’s capital regarding Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele’s cooperation with President Donald Trump on crime and immigration issues, local sentiment towards Bukele remained positive.

Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), who represents a nearby area, recently visited deported individual Kilmar Abrego Garcia and acknowledged the trauma he experienced.

On April 10, the Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration must facilitate the return of Abrego Garcia, who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador, according to the Department of Justice by error.

The Department of Homeland Security declared their intention to deport him if he returns, citing his alleged affiliation with MS-13, a claim that Abrego Garcia and his attorneys refute. Bukele stated that he will not comply with returning the Salvadoran deportee to the United States. The State Department disclosed on April 20 that Abrego Garcia had been relocated from a maximum-security prison in El Salvador to a different detention facility.

In a related development, the Supreme Court temporarily halted the deportation of a group of Venezuelans under the same law that was invoked in the Abrego Garcia case—the Alien Enemies Act. On April 20, Bukele proposed a prisoner exchange with Venezuela that would see Venezuelan nationals detained in El Salvador exchanged for political prisoners imprisoned by the socialist government in Caracas.

While in El Salvador, The Epoch Times discovered that the majority of locals interviewed expressed approval for Bukele, his anti-gang initiatives, and his acceptance of deported Salvadorans from the United States.

In the Mount Pleasant neighborhood, the notable Abrego Garcia case did not attract attention from locals. While the case and Bukele’s handling of it incited debates among U.S. politicians and the media, most Salvadorans and Salvadoran Americans interviewed by The Epoch Times voiced strong support for him.

Jose exclaimed, “Bukele No. 1!” to express his admiration for the leader, adding that he had been in the United States for 27 years.

Describing the contrast before and after Bukele’s leadership, Jose pantomimed acts of violence, emphasizing the improvements in the country under Bukele.

Adrian and Robert Ramos, fellow Bukele supporters, echoed praise for Bukele’s efforts against MS-13.

Ramos, a supporter of both Bukele and Trump, shared his positive views with The Epoch Times.

Adrian, an immigrant to the United States from El Salvador, in Washington on April 18, 2025. (Nathan Worcester/The Epoch Times) — Adrian, an immigrant to the United States from El Salvador, in Washington on April 18, 2025. Nathan Worcester/The Epoch Times

Robert Ramos, an immigrant to the United States from El Salvador, in Washington on April 18, 2025. (Nathan Worcester/The Epoch Times) — Robert Ramos, an immigrant to the United States from El Salvador, in Washington on April 18, 2025. Nathan Worcester/The Epoch Times

Another Jose, who arrived in the United States from El Salvador 31 years ago, shared his admiration for Bukele.

Elsewhere in the neighborhood, Esmerelda assisted customers with sending remittances and expressed Salvadorans’ gratification with Bukele.

Life in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood, Washington, on April 18, 2025. (Nathan Worcester/The Epoch Times) — Life in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood, Washington, on April 18, 2025. Nathan Worcester/The Epoch Times

Nelson, another customer of Esmerelda’s, expressed strong support for Bukele and his anti-gang efforts.

Notably, Ana Lemos, who worked at a fruit stand in Columbia Heights, differed in her views and raised concerns about the treatment of alleged gang members in El Salvador.

Opinions may vary, but on Good Friday, voices like Lemos’s appeared to be in the minority within the Salvadoran community in the District of Columbia.

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