International critics slammed the members of El Salvador's Congress who voted to oust magistrates on the country's supreme court. Critics described that the movement aims to obliterate any opposition to the president's firm grip on power, Al Jazeera reported.

The vote came on the first day that lawmakers from the president's New Ideas party have shown firm control over the Congress, Reuters reported. The said party garnered more than two-thirds "supermajority" in the unicameral legislature after the midterm elections.

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El Salvador Congress Ousts Top Supreme Court Judges

The voting happened on Saturday, where the legislative assembly supported the dismissal of all the justices in the Supreme Court's constitutional chamber, as they issue "arbitrary" decisions. The motion to remove the judges passed with 64 votes in favor or nearly 80 percent of the 84-seat legislature.

Elin Rosales, a New Ideas legislative leader noted that the movement is necessary to address COVID-19 concerns. Rosales furthered that there is "clear evidence" that the five judges who were ousted hindered El Salvador's health strategy.

Attorney General Raul Melara, who is considered close to the opposing party, was also dismissed from his post as lawmakers voted to oust him. Meanwhile, Reuters noted that the five judges who were dismissed were among the few remaining checks on Bukele's power. The said judges were also reported to be the most powerful jurists among the 15-member court.

Views From Other Organizations

The movement has sparked sympathy from organizations, and even concerned the United States.

U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken talked with El Salvador's president regarding the voting, Associated Press reported.

"An independent judiciary is essential to democratic governance," said Blinken. Moreover, Blinken also expressed his concerns over the dismissal of Attorney General Melara, saying that the individual is an effective partner of the United States in fighting crime and corruption in the country.

Meanwhile, organizations and human rights groups have also retaliated over the decision of El Salvador's Congress on Saturday. The Organization of American States (OAS) issued a press release emphasizing that "respect for the democratic rule of law" is important.

"It [General Secretariat of the OAS] rejects the dismissal of the magistrates of the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice," said the OAS' press release. The release furthered that it also rejects the actions from the Executive Branch that steered the decisions.

Diego García-Sayán, UN's special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers also expressed his sympathy against the issue in a tweet in Spanish saying that he "condemns the step that the political power has been taking to dismantle and weaken the judicial independence.

Meanwhile, El Salvador's president, Nayib Bukele hits back on the comments from the international community regarding their Congress' decision in ousting the top Judges. Bukele said that they want to work with the international community. "But with all due respect: We are cleaning our house... and that's none of your business," said Bukele in his tweet.

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WATCH: El Salvador´s Assembly y votes to oust high chamber judges - from TeleSUR English