On social media, El Salvador President Nayib Bukele mourned the state of American cities.
“Is there a deliberate plan to destroy the United States from within?” Bukele tweeted on Monday. “Why are the authorities and some of the media not even commenting on this things? Why are they letting their beautiful cities rot?”
Is there a deliberate plan to destroy the United States from within?
Why are the authorities and some of the media not even commenting on this things?
Why are they letting their beautiful cities rot? https://t.co/whGKTEKN1J
— Nayib Bukele 🇸🇻 (@nayibbukele) January 31, 2022
The Latin American politician — who recently gained international attention for making Bitcoin an official currency in his country — was reacting to an article from The New York Post, which detailed the closure of a Rite Aid in New York City due to “incessant shoplifting.”
“Back in my Rite Aid and there’s nothing to steal because this Rite Aid, like so many other Rite Aids, is closing down because everyone stole everything,” comedian Michael Rapaport explained in a video posted to his Instagram account. “And the workers here don’t know if they’re getting jobs. Congratulations, losers.”
Bukele’s sentiments are also confirmed by Goldman Sachs chief executive David Solomon, who warned at a Financial Times conference last year that New York City may cease to be a financial hub if it does not end the policies causing its decline. He explained that “New York has to be aware that there are good choices, and it’s got to keep itself attractive” — especially with respect to “taxes” and “cost of living.”
Solomon said that no city is guaranteed “a permanent place in the world,” referring to Detroit losing its status as the capital of the automobile industry.
Indeed, major crimes in the Big Apple are on the rise as new mayor Eric Adams dismisses concerns, according to New York Police Department (NYPD) statistics.
“Major Big Apple crimes jumped by more than a third in the first two weeks of this year compared to the same period in 2021 — with transit crimes alone soaring 65.5 percent,” The New York Post reported. “While the figures remain a small sample size, the upward trend provides an early challenge for Adams as he tries to reassure jittery straphangers that cops have everything in hand underground after several terrifying recent rail attacks, particularly Saturday’s horrific random fatal subway push in Times Square.”
Violent crime is also a pressing issue in Philadelphia, which is witnessing a rise in carjackings.
Last month, Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA) had her vehicle stolen in broad daylight after touring a park in South Philadelphia. She was approached by two armed men who took her car keys and personal belongings. She was not injured.
“Everyone deserves to feel safe in our city, and sadly, as we know, that hasn’t always been the case this year,” Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, a Democrat, said in a statement. “It’s disheartening, and quite frankly infuriating, that criminals feel emboldened to commit such a reckless crime in the middle of the day in what should be a place of tranquility and peace — one of Philadelphia’s beautiful parks. I’m thankful that she was not physically harmed during this incident, and my thoughts are with her during what I’m sure is a traumatic time.”
Meanwhile, Chicago — led by Democratic Mayor Lori Lightfoot — recorded 797 homicides in 2021, the most of any American city and the highest for the area in nearly a quarter century. In addition to the staggering number of homicides, the Chicago Police Department also revealed 3,561 shootings in Chicago last year.