El Salvador: Nayib Bukele, president for 4 years of an economically adrift country

In El Salvador, it has been four years since Nayib Bukele came to power on Thursday, June 1. Nayib Bukele, who came to power at the age of 39, launched a ruthless war a little over a year ago against the "maras", the armed gangs in the country, arresting tens of thousands of people. But at the price, denounce the NGOs for the protection of human rights, fundamental freedoms.

Demonstration in support of the re-election of Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele in San Salvador on May 1, 2023. AFP - MARVIN RECINOS

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In thirteen months of state of emergency, just over 69,000 Salvadorans have been arrested, most of them without warrants, many without access to lawyers. Not to mention people who died in prison, cases of torture.

Between 70 and 80 percent of the population supports the president, according to the Central American University. "The homicide rate has plummeted and as soon as there is a delinquent act somewhere, immediately, it is given an extremely strong media aura with 500 police officers who are able to surround a city for three days to arrest absolutely anyone suspected of anything. A good part of the population finds it very good. There is this argument that comes out 'We finally have peace'. And too bad if it is done at the cost of a few clear breaches of the law," explains Thierry Maire, a doctoral student at the Maurice Halbwachs Center.

>> READ ALSO: Salvador: President Nayib Bukele welcomes the arrest of 6000,<> gang members

Security is back. On the other hand, it is difficult to find an economic policy that tackles poverty, inequality and lack of access to basic services that, among other things, create armed gangs. For Thierry Maire, this is the major weakness of the Bukele government: "What Bukele answers is that it takes time, it takes one more mandate. But with what? The government is having enormous difficulty in financing itself. If you don't have a budget, what do you want to do as a policy? Many people have a kind of apathy that considers economic problems to be nothing new anyway. 'We're used to it, we're getting by'. Until when? " he laments.

In any case, President Bukele is a candidate for his own succession in 2024.

>> READ ALSO: In El Salvador, President Nayib Bukele candidate for his own re-election

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Read on on the same topics:

• El Salvador
• Nayib Bukele
• Criminality
• Human rights