Covid 19 is taking a heavy toll on individuals, families, communities, and societies around the world. Daily lives have been significantly transformed, economies have entered recession and many of the traditional social, economic, and public health networks have had to change their activities, creating a new normal. In this sense, the Armed Forces of El Salvador to be the guarantor entity of generating support to the State institutions in charge of giving health to Salvadorans. This will generate greater confidence and admiration on the part of the civilian population, but in general it will enhance the National Security and Development of El Salvador.

Keywords: Covid 19, armed forces, national security, national defence, national development

At the beginning of December 2019, a new disease began to have media light, due to its rapid spread in the province of Wuhan, People's Republic of China, this disease was called Covid-19, which in January 2020 spread around the world, becoming in a pandemic with defining characteristics: first, a rapid scale of infections, which is verified since between December 2019 and March 2020, this disease spread throughout the planet; affecting health systems, since having the peculiarity of spread and high levels of contagion, it overwhelmed the health systems of Spain and Italy, while in the Latin American case Brazil and Ecuador presented the harshest images. Second, the general seriousness, in the sense that, by the end of 2020, according to the official portal of the Government of El Salvador, 20% of the cases were serious or critical, also mentioning that the health system of El Salvador was not prepared for an emergency of that dimension.

Methods and materials to conduct this research

This article has been conducted through the basic research methodology. This way, due to the fact that it is a bibliographical and documentary research, based on data and description of the experiences of the different countries currently affected and that are still suffering the impact of the pandemic. Likewise, documentary research defined as an essential part of a systematic process of scientific research, constituting an operational strategy where realities systematically observed and reflected on, in this case Covid-19; using for these distinct types of documents, such as articles on the emergency and manuals made by the World Health Organization (WHO). This in order to investigate, interpret and present data and information on the pandemic, using an analysis methodology and with the aim of obtaining results that could be the basis for the development of scientific research.

Development of argumentative analysis

The world submerged in a health crisis of great proportions and repercussions, mainly in the fields of health and economic activity. The effects of the pandemic have caused an economic slowdown in the massive world powers, resulting in the total or partial stoppage of global economic activities, a negative result for countries with weakened economies such as the Salvadoran one that are peripheral to commercial situations. For example, it estimated that the economic impact that the health situation generated as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic would have on the economies of the countries of the Central American region would have unfavourable consequences.¹

Regarding National Development, the Salvadoran State was in danger of being immersed in a health crisis that has drastically affected the social and economic context, therefore, the possibility of creating consensus in the different spheres of action of society prevails, through internal and regional mechanisms, which are ideal tools for the search for more solid and resilient alternatives, based on established norms, supportive and responsible alliances that have control and compensation mechanisms, ensuring a joint response to a threat or crisis of such magnitude.²

If throughout the crisis due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Salvadoran State had not had a strong leadership, it would have had a total impact on Salvadoran National Development, since it would not be able to fulfill its mission of being a process that seeks the global strengthening of the National Power to improve the living conditions of the population in general; thus trying to build a society in which all its members can enjoy the common good. Therefore, the objectives of having reflected an acceptable, adequate, and decent standard of living for the entire population, are distant, due to the difficulties in achieving real progress, economic, social, political, and cultural development in El Salvador.²

In political matters, to ensure National Development, a constructive and continuous social dialogue between the powers of the Salvadoran State and local governments needed; because after health, the main thing is to give an effective response to the business sectors, micro and macroeconomics. Governments cannot address the causes and consequences of crises without ensuring social stability or recovery based on unilateral measures. Social dialogue is an indispensable tool for managing crises in a harmonized way and facilitating recovery; thus achieving governance and democratic governability that will move El Salvador forward; since the establishment of effective communication channels and uninterrupted dialogue with the public and private sectors and other active forces is essential to be able to manage business restructuring in a sustainable manner and preserve employment.³

Within the National Development, the private company proposed a gradual reopening in 2020 with special sanitary security measures, all this to avoid the total detriment of the economy, because only companies such as super markets, banks, media, funeral homes and cemeteries were the only ones authorized to operate; so in a first effort for the reopening of productive activities in the face of the almost total stoppage of production. In this sense, the government allowed the textile and plastic industry to restart activities; hence these companies began operations by reorienting their activities to the production of medical supplies to help reduce the Covid-19 contagion curve.⁴

The economic impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic is being and will be adverse for the National Security and Development of El Salvador, taking into account the vulnerability that the country is experiencing, in the face of the different threats in the life of the population, added to this the phenomena natural or anthropic. It is particularly important to mention that workplaces should become effective focal points for disseminating information, facilitating communication, and raising awareness on issues related to occupational safety and health, particularly in terms of prevention and prevention measures. Protection to reduce the spread of infectious diseases.⁵

Regarding National Security, it is necessary for the political leadership to establish public policies aimed at reinventing itself, vindicating itself and repositioning itself in the internal and regional context in the face of this serious event, counting on the tools and measures that as a sovereign and independent State it possesses; envisioning and proposing actions with an integrationist character that allows it to create a robust local and regional economy, with a capacity to respond to new threats aimed at the well-being of Salvadoran society. Therefore, under this conception, the policies that adopted must aimed at finding solutions in the short term due to the current economic recession, and logically in the long term, which generates a return to the certainty and confidence of a country that can offer security and balanced development.²

I n the same order of ideas, Covid-19 has put all nations on the ropes and in a limbo of considerable proportions in the field of health and the economy, whose effect is already profound and irreversible; as well as, it will be in the relations between nations, the role of the great powers, the different regional configurations and as such the role of the institutions will change after the health crisis. The world will experience considerable geopolitical changes once the health crisis overcome.⁶

At this point, it is important to remember a pillar in National Security and Development, which is the population, which must increase its ability to quickly identify suspected cases of Covid-19 based on the appearance of signs or symptoms. This will require a shift from reliance on existing surveillance networks to using a rapid, active surveillance system at the population level. In addition to the active search for cases in communities, health centres and entry points where surveillance and Task Force points and troop personnel are located, it will be necessary to allow the general population to also practice self-surveillance, that is, that people self-register as a suspected case as soon as they present symptoms or signs, or if they have been in contact with a confirmed case.

In order to achieve this change, El Salvador should expand its health personnel and all personnel from various ministries such as the Ministry of National Defence through the Military Health Battalion to support, detect cases, even look outside the public health system. to train workers who do not belong to said system and who can provide support in all the necessary tasks in an emergency or through the use of innovative technology such as online applications to allow people to self-register and keep track of the people who do not attend a health centre, they can also be a support for social distancing, which is the best practice to cut this virus.⁷

Given this possible scenario, the Salvadoran State should ideally invest in prevention and create optimal conditions for the country's economy and industry to recover from this crisis that ranges between health and finance; recalling that the greatest interest for the economy is to recover and maintain high standards of sanitation at borders, airports, international and regional tourism, among other daily activities and that fundamentally contribute to the comprehensive development of the Salvadoran State.^8–10

The effects of the socioeconomic impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic in terms of National Security and Development for the Salvadoran State, brings with it the need to glimpse that the impact on the large world economies leads to worrying consequences and situations that will put Development on hold. National of the Salvadoran State; On the other hand, the effect of globalization because of the changes generated in international relations imposes social, economic, and political consequences. By virtue of this, the country is fighting today against a threat that spreads exponentially and puts the entire population at risk; At the same time, it is evident that the National Security of the State has forced the Government to strengthen its borders and other domestic security tasks, actions that were strengthened and increased by the Armed Institution, once the State of National Emergency was decreed.^11–14

The Salvadoran State must generate economic incentives to financially push these SMEs, to strengthen National Security and guarantee the projection of National Development; this is so because at least until 2023 Covid-19 will continue to be part of the Salvadoran and world reality and to mitigate it, we must appeal to global and individual solidarity. For each country must continue to implement national action plans based on a whole-of-society approach and a realistic assessment of what is feasible to achieve in the first place in terms of slowing transmission and reducing mortality, in parallel to the resumption of social and economic activity in accordance with the phases that have been applied in agreement with the Ministry of Health (MINSAL). These plans are flexible enough to react to rapidly evolving epidemiological situations in distinct parts of the country and consider local contexts and capacities to respond.^15–17

The positive effects against Covid-19 will only see if actions formulated oriented towards the strategic axes that drive the Salvadorian economy, since at the end of this health crisis the substantial number of jobs lost, closed companies and a clean slate will glimpsed economic for the Salvadoran economy.

International loans and financial aid will serve to shovel the Salvadoran economy, and to have a first-class medical infrastructure. So as not to be overwhelmed by new outbreaks and waves of infections.

The current situation in El Salvador due to the Covid-19 health emergency has had a socioeconomic impact on the Republic of El Salvador, suffering blows to National Security and Development, therefore it is necessary to strengthen the budget allocation in the different Fields of Action to strengthen the National Security and guarantee the projection of Salvadoran economic development, therefore it is necessary to have strategic planning and generate Public Policies that allow the Salvadoran State to be prepared and respond to the new normality and overcome this emergency.

It will be necessary to strengthen the infrastructure and health protocols for the population, to have a very plausible scenario; while in economic matters, the political forces will determine public policies to help economic preservation and carry out fiscal adjustments or tax reforms to strengthen the economy of the State, this in order to position and strengthen National Security and Development.¹⁸

None.

The author declares that they have no direct or indirect conflicts.

1. Central American Integration System SICA. Declaration of the Heads of State and Government of Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and the Dominican Republic in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 2020.  
2. College of High Strategic Studies. Reflections on Security and National Defence. San Salvador: CAEE; 2017.
3. International Labour Organization. 2020.
4. Contreras C. Strategies and business. 2020.  
5. United Nations Development Program El Salvador. UNDP El Salvador; 2020.  
6. University Francisco Gavidia. Second Report on the Socioeconomic Impact of COVID-19. San Salvador: Francisco Gavidia University; 2020.
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16. World Bank. World Economic Outlook, January 2020. New York: United States of America; 2020.
17. World Health Organization. Update of the Strategy against Covid-19. Geneva: World Health Organization. 2020
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