In mid-April 2023, seven Salvadoran leftist organizations announced that they would hold a protest march in San Salvador on 1 May 2023 in commemoration of the International Workers' Day.

In total, 34 organizations and the FMLN, Nuestro Tiempo and Vamos political parties participated in the protest.

[4][5][6][7] Protesters met with Rolando Castro, the minister of labor who was present on behalf of Bukele, at the end of the march.

According to Francisco Omar Parada, a spokesman for the Resistance and Popular Rebellion Bloc, the march would protest presidential re-election, the reductions of municipalities and seats on the Legislative Assembly, the "destruction" ("destrucción") of democratic institutions, and the "illegal control" ("control ilegal") exerted by the presidency, the judiciary, the office of the attorney general, and other state institutions.

[8] The presidential candidates of the Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA)—Joel Sánchez—, the FMLN—Manuel Flores—and Nuestro Tiempo—Luis Parada—participated in the protest, as did various opposition deputies of the Legislative Assembly.