Ever since President Nayib Bukele announced that El Salvador would take Bitcoin as legal tender (quotation in real time), the country has consistently made headlines. The latest incident is, however, for a significantly different reason. This time, local residents filed a lawsuit claiming the move is unconstitutional. And according to some in the country, President Bukele may be behind the move and may be trying to sabotage the same move that has endeared him to the crypto community.
The most sensational of the flag turners?
President Bukele announced that El Salvador would take BTC as legal tender at the Bitcoin 2021 conference in Miami. In no time at all, a bill on the matter was presented to Congress and passed quickly, as planned so that Bukele's party controls the legislature. Since then, economists and even global regulators have warned that the move could collapse the Salvadoran economy. Some even called the president "stupid" for the move.
Now, the protest comes from President Bukele's backyard. According to the local newspaper El Mundo, a group of local residents has filed a petition claiming that the president has violated constitutional provisions. The residents received the support of Jamie Guevara, a deputy from the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front, a political party that garnered 7% of the votes in the last elections.
Oscar Artero, one of the citizens who presented the motion, remarked: "I propose a cause of unconstitutionality against the decree issued by the Bitcoin Law to be a decree without legality, without foundation, without considering the meaning and harmful effects that such law will cause this country ”.
Artero believes the law is designed to prey on the people of El Salvador. Being tax free, Artero claims it is designed to force the people of El Salvador to trade Bitcoin.
The motion was filed with the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice and Guevara believes that the time has come to test the magistrates of the Chamber, which took office in May. However, neither the politician nor the other citizens supporting the motion revealed which specific aspects of the Bitcoin law are unconstitutional.
President Bukele secretly sponsored the move, a local claims
In perhaps the most interesting twist, a local lawyer believes the motion is the work of President Bukele. Enrique Anaya argues that the Presidential Chamber is behind the move as a way to withdraw from the movement.
According to him, President Bukele has no idea how to implement the Bitcoin law and is trying to be forced by the court not to.
However, Guevara, the opposition deputy, denied representing the interests of the president. It is a law that affects the population. At no time, categorically, do we represent the interests of the President, do we simply represent the people. What do you think of it? Was it all a bluff? Let us know in the comments below.
