Bukele’s El Salvador: Popularity, power, and the price of security

Nayib Bukele came to power in El Salvador in 2019, winning outright in the first round of presidential elections. Since then, he has steadily consolidated his control. Bukele’s party has dominated the National Assembly since 2021. In 2022, he declared a state of emergency, which remains in effect to this day. He also pressured the Supreme Court to allow him to run for a second term – previously prohibited by the Constitution. Despite concerns over his human rights record, Bukele enjoys overwhelming popularity...