Bukele cancels 2022 Bitcoin conference appearance in Miami over 'unforeseen circumstances'

El Salvador President Nayib Bukele on Wednesday canceled his appearance at the Bitcoin 2022 conference in Miami, claiming that there were “unforeseen circumstances” in his country that requires his full attention.

“I have just made the hard decision of canceling my participation in the conference due to unforeseen circumstances in my home country that require my full-time presence as President of a Nation,” Bukele said in a letter shared by Bitcoin 2022 on Twitter.

We’re sharing a letter from President @nayibbukele who is unfortunately no longer able to attend Bitcoin 2022 due to unforeseen circumstances in El Salvador which require his urgent attention. We stand in solidarity with the Salvadorian people during these difficult times. READ: pic.twitter.com/wbFXMY60c0

— Bitcoin 2022 (@TheBitcoinConf) April 6, 2022

While the president did not specify the circumstances that led him to miss the event, he did write that he would “be in another flank in the battle for freedom.”

On March 26, Bukele declared a state of emergency after the number of homicides in the country increased dramatically in a span of four days. Under the drastic measure, the government has limited freedom of association and suspended constitutional protections.

Following the state of emergency, El Salvador’s Congress approved reforms to the country’s penal code on March 31 to increase jail time for gang members and for minors to be tried as adults.

Bukele also claimed that the gang members currently n Salvadorean prisons will face stricter punishments, including food rationing and not being able to leave their cells.

Furthermore, the country’s congress also approved prison sentences for media outlets that disseminate or reproduce messages from gang members.

 “More than 8,000 gang members captured in 13 days, and only 12 of them in the state of emergency. We continue,” posted the president on Twitter on Friday.

Más de 8,000 pandilleros capturados en 13 días, y solo 12 de ellos con RÉGIMEN DE EXCEPCIÓN.

Seguimos…#GuerraContraPandillas https://t.co/JHXSNihVfq

— Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) April 8, 2022

The Salvadoran president was one of the most expected appearances at the conference. Bukele announced his plans to make bitcoin legal tender in El Salvador at last year’s Bitcoin conference. Many were expecting him to announce further bitcoin plans for the Central American country.

Bitcoin 2022 is the largest conference that focuses on the cryptocurrency. The conference takes place from April 6 to 9 in Miami, Florida.