El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele: A Controversial Figure in the Fight Against Gangs
In the dangerous streets of San Salvador, innocent lives are often caught in the crossfire of gang violence. Jocelyn Zelaya was one such victim, tragically killed in a hail of gunfire in 2017. Her death, like thousands of others that year, highlighted the alarming murder rates in El Salvador, a country plagued by the turf war between the notorious gangs Mara Salvatrucha and Barrio 18. But amidst the chaos and despair, one man emerged as a beacon of hope for many: President Nayib Bukele.
Bukele, often referred to as the country’s strongman president and self-styled “world’s coolest dictator” and “philosopher king,” has garnered both praise and criticism for his controversial methods in combating gang violence. Despite facing allegations of human rights abuses, Bukele remains popular among the Salvadoran population and is widely expected to win re-election in the upcoming polls.
The rise of Bukele can be traced back to his expulsion from his party in 2017, which propelled him to become an outsider and ultimately win the 2019 elections. His reputation as a disruptor and innovator was solidified when he adopted Bitcoin as legal tender in El Salvador and invited tech enthusiasts from around the world to surf in the Pacific. However, it is Bukele’s iron-fisted crackdown on criminal gangs that has truly endeared him to the people.
Under Bukele’s leadership, El Salvador has witnessed a significant decline in its homicide rate. Within a year of assuming office, the murder rate dropped to just a third of what it was in 2017. The government claims that the current rate is less than two murders per 100,000 people, lower than that of the United States. However, doubts have been raised by national and international NGOs regarding the transparency of these figures.
Bukele’s approach to tackling gang violence, known as the “Bukele Method,” has been both praised and criticized. In response to an outbreak of gang violence in 2022, Bukele introduced emergency powers to deal with the gangs once and for all. While some have accused him of secretly negotiating a truce with the same gangs he claimed to fight, Bukele has vehemently denied these allegations.
The state of emergency imposed by Bukele has led to the suspension of constitutional guarantees, allowing the police to detain individuals without charge for up to 15 days and tap anyone’s phone without a judicial order. The deployment of the Army and a surge in detentions have resulted in a significant increase in the prison population, making El Salvador the country with the highest incarceration rate in the world.
Critics argue that Bukele’s tough-on-crime approach has come at the expense of human rights and the dismantling of checks and balances within the country. The state of emergency and restrictions on civil liberties remain in place, and allegations of human rights violations, including abuses by law enforcement and mistreatment of detainees, have been widespread. While the government acknowledges some mistakes, such as mistakenly detaining thousands of people, it maintains that these are inevitable in the fight against crime.
Despite the controversies surrounding Bukele’s methods, many Salvadorans, like Jackelyne Zelaya, believe that the security provided by his administration outweighs the concerns. Zelaya, who lost her niece to gang violence, sees Bukele as the one who took on the gangs and provided a safer environment for her children. However, others, like Maria (a pseudonym), who experienced wrongful detention and deplorable conditions in prison, call for greater attention to the human rights abuses occurring under Bukele’s rule.
Bukele’s popularity and success in reducing crime rates have not gone unnoticed in the region. Honduras and Ecuador have implemented similar state of emergency measures, raising concerns among human rights advocates. The Latin American population’s willingness to accept undemocratic governments if they can resolve problems further highlights the potential influence of Bukele’s methods.
As El Salvador heads to the polls, the country stands at a crossroads. The choice between security and human rights remains a contentious issue. While some view Bukele as a savior who has brought stability and safety to the nation, others fear the erosion of democratic institutions and the mistreatment of innocent citizens. The outcome of the election will determine the path El Salvador takes and may have far-reaching implications for the region as a whole.
