René Merino Monroy
René Merino Monroy | |
|---|---|
| Minister of National Defense | |
| Assumed office 1 June 2019 | |
| President | Nayib Bukele |
| Preceded by | David Victoriano Munguía Payés |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 1963 (age 60) El Salvador |
| Occupation | Military |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  El Salvador |
| Branch/service | Salvadoran Navy |
| Years of service | ? – present |
| Rank |  Contralmirante |
René Francis Merino Monroy (b. December 1963) is a Salvadoran counter admiral and the incumbent Minister of Defense of El Salvador.
Biography
René Merino Monroy was born in December 1963 in El Salvador.[1]
He was selected by President-elect Nayib Bukele to be his Minister of Defense. Merino Monroy was sworn in on 1 June 2019.[2][3] He was the first ever Salvadoran naval officer to hold the position.[4] Merino Monroy stated he would crackdown on gang activity in the country on 11 June 2019.[5]
René Merino Monroy faced controversy in early 2020 after President Bukele promoted him to Counter Admiral on 31 December 2019.[6][7] In El Salvador, a military officer goes into "retirement status" at age 55 which prevents them from receiving further promotions, but Merino Monroy was 56 at the time of his promotion.[1] Lawyers argued that his promotion was illegal according to article 13 of the Military Career Law,[1][7] but Merino Monroy defended his promotion stating "in active service, I am the oldest in the Armed Forces. In the Navy there are fewer of us who obtain the rank of [counter admiral]."[1] He added, "I submitted, like all my military promotion, to the pertinent evaluations, being evaluated by an evaluation and selection tribunal appointed in the previous administration."[1]
On 9 February 2020, Nayib Bukele and René Merino Monroy had 1,400 soldiers occupy the Legislative Assembly building to pressure politicians into approving a 109 million dollar loan from the United States to go into funding Bukele's "Territorial Control Plan."[citation needed] The event was called a self coup attempt by the Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA) and the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN).[citation needed] He was summoned to the Legislative Assembly on 21 August 2020 and asked who ordered the military to the Legislative Assembly, but Merino Monroy refused to answer.[8][9]
When murder rates rose in the country in April 2020, Merino Monroy credited the rise to the release of one prisoner who was a gang member.[10] He went on to defend Bukele's order to use lethal force if necessary stating that the measure will protect Salvadoran lives.[10]
Critics from ARENA and FMLN accuse him of being more loyal to the President than the Constitution.[11]
Awards and decorations
- Military Campaign Medal[12]
- Gold Medal of Merit (x2)[12]
- Minerva Medal[12]
- Mare Nostrum Medal[12]
- Medal of Honor to Naval Merit[12]
- Medal of Honor[12]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e Marroquín, David (2 January 2020). ""No me lo receté yo, me lo ordenaron". Ministro Merino Monroy defiende su ascenso a Contra Almirante de la Fuerza Naval" ["I did not prescribe it, they ordered it." Minister Merino Monroy defends his promotion to Contra Admiral of the Naval Force] (in Spanish). San Salvador, El Salvador: El Salvador.com. p. 1. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
- ^ Alas, Liseth (1 June 2019). "Estos son los funcionarios que integrarán el gabinete de Nayib Bukele" [These are the officials that will make up Nayib Bukele's cabinet] (in Spanish). San Salvador, El Salvador: El Salvador.com (published 1 June 2020). p. 1. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
- ^ "Bukele nombra nuevo ministro de Defensa y acaba la era Munguía Payés" [Bukele appoints new Defense Minister and the Munguía Payés era ends] (in Spanish). San Salvador, El Salvador: El Mundo (published 1 June 2020). 1 June 2019. p. 1. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
- ^ Bernal, David (1 June 2019). "Un coronel de la Fuerza Naval dirigirá por primera vez el Ministerio de Defensa" [A colonel from the Naval Force will lead the Ministry of Defense for the first time] (in Spanish). San Salvador, El Salvador: La Prensa Grafica. p. 1. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
- ^ Marroquín, David (11 June 2019). "Ministro de Defensa dice que hay que hacer un cambio de estrategia en el combate a las pandillas" [Defense Minister says a change in strategy must be made in the fight against gangs] (in Spanish). San Salvador, El Salvador: El Salvador.com. p. 1. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
- ^ "René Francis Merino Monroy es ascendido a Contra Almirante" [René Francis Merino Monroy is promoted to Contra Admiral] (in Spanish). San Salvador, El Salvador: La Página (published 31 December 2020). 31 December 2019. p. 1. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
- ^ a b García, Enrique (2 January 2020). "Ministro Merino ascendido a contra almirante" [Minister Merino promoted to against admiral] (in Spanish). San Salvador, El Salvador: El Mundo. p. 1. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
- ^ Velásquez, Eugenia (21 August 2020). "FINALIZA: Ministro de Defensa se rehúsó revelar quién le ordenó militarizar la Asamblea el 9 de febrero" [ENDS: Minister of Defense refused to reveal who ordered him to militarize the Assembly on 9 February] (in Spanish). San Salvador, El Salvador: El Salvador.com. p. 1. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
- ^ Avelar, Ricardo (22 August 2020). "5 momentos clave de la interpelación del ministro de Defensa, Merino Monroy" [5 key moments in the interpellation of the Minister of Defense, Merino Monroy] (in Spanish). San Salvador, El Salvador: El Salvador.com. p. 1. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
- ^ a b "Ministro de Defensa: Alza de asesinatos es por liberación de un miembro de pandilla" [Defense Minister: Rise in murders is due to the release of a gang member] (in Spanish). Verdad Digital. 29 April 2020. p. 1. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
- ^ "Lawyers warn that Merino Monroy shows more "loyalty" to the president than to the Constitution - News from El Salvador". World Today News. 24 August 2020. p. 1. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f "01.- Contralmirante René Francis Merino Monroy (Vigente)". Transparencia. Retrieved 24 September 2020.