The Legislative Assembly yesterday approved an initiative of the government of President Nayib Bukele that extends until December 31 the setting of fuel prices in the Salvadoran market. María Luisa Hayem, Minister of Economy, after presenting the motion to parliament, reiterated that the price of a gallon of super gasoline will continue at $4.31; that of regular gasoline, at $4.15; and of diesel, at $4.14.

As of last April, the government has kept fuel prices frozen for consumers, absorbing the difference with respect to the market price as part of the economic measures it implemented to mitigate the effects of the global inflationary crisis. The head of the Nuevas Ideas faction, Christian Guevara, requested the inclusion of the initiative in the plenary session with a waiver of paperwork.

“We are not oil producers, but we have sought to implement measures to alleviate that cost. In other nations, this has affected the family economy,” said Guevara.

The motion, after a brief discussion by the legislators, was approved with 75 votes from Nuevas Ideas, ARENA, GANA, PDC, PCN, and FMLN. The deputies of Nuestro Tiempo and VAMOS abstained. A month ago, within the framework of the 11 economic measures that he announced, Bukele asked the Assembly to eliminate two taxes levied on each gallon of fuel sold.

The decree that keeps fuel prices frozen expires tomorrow, after several extensions. “Those prices that have been maintained since April of this year until December 31 will continue.

It is a measure of great support for the Salvadoran people,” Hayem pondered. Thus, the Executive maintains active economic measures to protect the pockets of Salvadorans.