Labor Minister Rolando Castro has reiterated that he will end his political career once he finishes his government duties. He will not return to the San Salvador mayor’s office. Former mayor Ernest Muisshont revoked his permit and fired him. / TCS video image.
Labor Minister Rolando Castro said he is considering becoming a driver for the Uber platform since June 2019, having left a position appointed by President Naive Bukele at the beginning of his term. Today he is on the talk show of Telecorporación Salvadoreña (Tcs).
He was asked this question and gave the following answer.
――Could it be that you feel uncomfortable?
– Are you uncomfortable with the government?
– For the state, for the administration itself.
– I don’t know, it’s a question I can’t answer, but it should probably be answered by someone who feels uncomfortable. I have one thing. I come from being a social militant and criticizing practices that can create illegal or unethical misconduct. And from the moment I criticized them, and now that I am a minister, I must continue to criticize it, whoever it is. Whoever it is, whoever it is.
And the official affirmed that he wanted to be “consistent” and “greet people in the future” as the “same” who criticized things from “his own social struggles.” But Castro added, “There are things I can share now, and things I can’t.”
In an interview, the official reported that state agencies were under investigation for alleged dismissal of pregnant women, and also criticized the lack of approval of the Private Security Services Act, which regulates the working hours and salaries of security guards. . “We have set up SOS Mujeres in the Ministry of Labor because if they arm violence or harassment in the workplace, whoever it is, even if I get into trouble with the person who got me in trouble. , because we’re going to apply the law,” she said. .
The interviewer also asked what he plans to do after becoming labor minister. This was a dialogue that went something like this:
– I don’t know, maybe I’ll buy a car and become an Uber for a living, I don’t know, maybe.
No, Minister, seriously.
– No, no, no… I am a person with limited resources, Moises, that is, I used to go to the San Miguelito market to eat, and if I had time, I would go to the San Miguelito market to eat. to go. San Miguelito Market and now Because the market is under construction, there is a cafeteria at the entrance of Tutuni Chapa, where we sometimes eat. One day my grandfather told me that I should always aspire to grow up and fly high, but not be blinded by the heights. I continue my normal life.
The official also asserted that he would not return to the San Salvador mayor’s office if he was “not a civil servant” and clarified that he had asked for permission, but former mayor Ernesto Muixonto was arrested on withholding charges. ignored work quotas from city employees, revoked permits, and dismissed them. The official recalled reporting it to the Attorney General’s Office (FGR), alleging criticism of late payment of labor quotas was to blame.
I’m not going back to where I used to be, the San Salvador Mayor’s Office. From the moment I came to work, my municipal employee cycle was closed … Muishdont got angry with me and fired me. He allowed me at first. “
Labor Minister Rolando Castro.
Rolando Castro appeared in the first edition of the list of corrupt and anti-democratic actors mandated by Section 353 of the Northern Triangle Enforcement Engagement Act, known as the Engel List, which included 25 Salvadorans. there is The State Department said in its list that Castro obstructed a corruption investigation and acted contrary to democratic institutions and processes as part of damaging political opponents.
On December 9, 2022, Castro was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) under the so-called World Magnitsky Act.
“As minister, Rolando Castro used his position to influence trade unions to align with the political interests of the Ministry of Labor and to benefit him and his political allies for expedited processing of credentials. Some of those who accepted received additional benefits, such as preferential access to international travel, while some who refused to work with Castro were subjected to harassment, reprisals, unions, etc. Faced with delays in accreditation.
Source: Diario Elmundo
