Nayib Bukele, the 42-year-old President of El Salvador, is set to be sworn in for his second term after winning re-election in February with 85 percent of the vote. He will have near-total control of parliament and other state institutions, allowing him to govern for another five years. Despite criticism from rights groups, Bukele remains popular in the country due to his tough stance on criminal gangs, which has brought a sense of normalcy to a violence-ridden society. His New Ideas party also achieved a near-clean sweep in legislative elections, securing 54 of 60 seats.
Bukele’s popularity may be waning as economic concerns take center stage, with high government debt and rising consumer prices causing unease among the public. Food inflation has outpaced increases in salaries, while public debt has soared to over $30 billion, equivalent to 84 percent of the country’s GDP. Despite these challenges, Bukele will have even more power in his second term after the legislative assembly approved a reform that will make it easier for him to push through constitutional changes.
Bukele’s approach to governance has been criticized for its authoritarian tendencies, with some experts describing him as an “all-powerful” president who disregards the law to do as he pleases. He has bypassed a constitutional ban on successive terms with the help of a loyalist Supreme Court ruling, highlighting his ability to manipulate the system to his advantage. Since coming to power in 2019, Bukele has focused on combating the country’s gangs, whom he sees as a major source of violence and instability.
During his first term, Bukele’s government launched a crackdown on suspected gang members, leading to the arrest of over 80,000 individuals under a state of emergency declared in March 2022. Large-scale detention efforts, including the construction of the largest prison in Latin America, have been central to his strategy of reducing crime rates. While Bukele claims to have transformed El Salvador into the safest country in the Western Hemisphere, reports of human rights abuses, including killings and torture of detainees, have raised concerns from international organizations.
As Bukele begins his second term, the focus is shifting towards economic challenges and the need for sustainable development to address poverty and inequality in the country. Despite his achievements in reducing violence, the president faces growing pressure to deliver on economic promises and alleviate the financial burdens facing ordinary Salvadorans. With his high approval ratings now facing scrutiny, Bukele will need to navigate a complex landscape of political, social, and economic challenges to maintain his grip on power and continue to shape the future of El Salvador.
