Nayib Bukele, 42 years old and leader of the Nuevas Ideas (NI) party, has won the presidential and parliamentary elections in El Salvador with a disastrous margin over his opponents.
According to the president himself, Bukele has prevailed with 85% of the votes. As of midnight this Sunday, the preliminary audit of the Supreme Electoral Court (TSE) of El Salvador had reached 31.49% and 1,295,888 votes for President Nayib Bukele.
With these results, the must be ratified in a final examination With the physical records, Bukele would have an overwhelming advantage over the country’s second largest force, the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN, left), which received 110,244 votes.
Nayib Bukele is the one active Latin American leader who enjoys great popularityto a large extent, on his controversial street safety policy and the fight against gangs.
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Harsh hand and violation of human rights
Bukele controls the three state powers and In March 2022 he declared a state of emergency, which has been maintained ever since. Its controversial security strategy includes the suspension of fundamental rights such as freedom of expression and freedom of organization and is already registered Around 74,000 arrests, gang disbandment and murder rates are among the lowest in Latin America.
Unconstitutional re-election
Likewise the elected president of El Salvador violated the Constitution to run for re-electionsince the country’s entry into democracy, the constitutional ban on immediate re-election has been in effect.
However, the Supreme Electoral Court approved Bukele’s candidacy. The Supreme Court justices loyal to the president reinterpreted the Constitution in their own way and granted him the opportunity to run for re-election. Something the opposition denounced at the time.
Influential figure in Latin America
Bukele has a huge influence in Latin America, particularly visible in countries such as Ecuador, Argentina and Paraguay, encouraged by the heavy-handed policies being implemented, Innovation in economic affairs with the introduction of Bitcoin as legal tenderthe critical attitude towards organizations such as the Organization of American States (OAS) and their style, which many describe as authoritarian.
Since his election in 2019, the Salvadoran head of state has stood out for his personality intensive use of social networksits focus on public safety, particularly combating gangs, and its Interest in technology and innovationwhich is shown by its commitment to Bitcoin as a legal currency in the country.
This style of government and the policies implemented in its administration are sometimes strongly questioned by organizations and organizations human rights activists which they consider incompatible with democratic principles have exerted a strong influence on the decisions of other Latin American leaders.
Indictment of the Spanish press
In his first speech as El Salvador’s elected president, Bukele attacked Spain, particularly the press. Bukele explained this a Spanish journalist has asked why “they want to dismantle democracy”: “I told him, but what democracy are you talking about? Democracy means the power of the people. ‘Demos’ and ‘Kratos’. That’s where the word democracy comes from,” he explained, alluding to his election victory.
“This means the power of the people. If the Salvadoran people want this, Why does a Spanish journalist come and tell us what the Salvadorans have to do? Which democracy are you talking about? He talks about the democracy that his bosses tell him there in Spain. But that is not democracy. That would be colonialism, imperialism, elitism, plutocracy, you can call it whatever you want,” he said.
For Bukele democracy “is that Salvadorans” elect their government. He appealed to journalists, NGOs and international organizations who had criticized him during his last term in office. the violation of human rights in his war against gangs.
His private life
Bukele started his career Law at the Central American University José Simeón Cañas (UCA El Salvador) after graduating from high school in 1999. But he did not complete his higher education.
In December 2014, he married the psychologist, educator and dancer Gabriela Rodríguez, with whom he has two daughters: Layla, 4 years old, and Aminah, born in 2023.
In 2019, Bukele came to power the “millennial president” youngest in Latin America. He gained great popularity due to his charisma and casual style. However, it has always been in the spotlight of international analysts and observers condemned his security policy for the constant violation of human rights.