El Salvador’s Bukele, once praised for crushing gang violence, now jails political critics while his alliance with President Trump allows increasingly dictatorial measures to flourish unchecked.
Key Takeaways
- President Nayib Bukele began his unconstitutional second term in June 2024 after stacking the Constitutional Court with supporters who overturned term limits
- Under a state of emergency that has lasted since 2022, nearly 80,000 Salvadorans have been detained, many without formal charges
- Critics including constitutional lawyer Enrique Anaya and human rights defenders are being arrested on dubious charges or forced to flee the country
- Despite human rights concerns, the Biden administration has softened its criticism as El Salvador helps reduce migration to the US
- President Trump and conservative figures have embraced Bukele, who calls himself the “world’s coolest dictator,” signaling support for his authoritarian methods
Constitutional Crisis and Power Consolidation
President Nayib Bukele secured his second term in office through measures that directly violated El Salvador’s constitution, which explicitly prohibits consecutive presidential terms. His path to extended power began in 2021 when his allies in the Salvadoran National Assembly removed all five magistrates from the Constitutional Court and replaced them with Bukele loyalists. These new judges promptly ruled that Bukele could run for reelection, effectively dismantling one of the key safeguards against authoritarianism in the Salvadoran political system. This manipulation of judicial independence represents a fundamental breakdown in the separation of powers that democracies require to function.
“Five years ago in this same plaza, I asked you to trust in us and the decisions we are going to take, even if some of them seemed like bitter medicine. The people of El Salvador took the decision to follow the prescription. And together, we have rid ourselves of the gang cancer,” said PRESIDENT NAYIB BUKELE.
Crackdown on Dissent Intensifies
The arrest of constitutional lawyer Enrique Anaya on questionable money laundering charges exemplifies the government’s strategy to silence critics. Anaya, who frequently analyzed and criticized Bukele’s unconstitutional maneuvers, joins a growing list of targeted intellectuals and activists. Human rights lawyer Ruth López was also detained, while numerous journalists, especially those from the independent news outlet El Faro, have been forced to leave the country under threat of arrest. El Faro particularly angered the administration by publishing exposés that revealed alleged secret negotiations between Bukele’s government and gang leaders.
The suppression of critics has been systematized through legal means as well. El Salvador’s Congress, dominated by Bukele supporters, passed a “foreign agents” law specifically designed to restrict civil society organizations and independent media that receive international funding. This legislation provides a veneer of legitimacy to what amounts to political persecution. A leaked document reportedly contains a list of “priority objectives” for arrest, including prominent journalists and civil society leaders who have dared to question the president’s policies or methods.
State of Emergency and Human Rights Abuses
Since 2022, El Salvador has operated under a continuous state of emergency that has resulted in the detention of approximately 80,000 people. Many are held without formal charges or access to due process, in what human rights organizations describe as mass arbitrary detention. Prison conditions have deteriorated to inhumane levels, with at least 240 deaths reported in police custody. Overcrowding, inadequate food, and medical neglect have become standard in facilities hastily expanded to accommodate the influx of detainees under Bukele’s anti-gang campaign.
“We know that your government knows of the kidnapping and deaths of our children and families in Bukele’s jails. President Biden, it shames us that your government decided to participate in the inauguration of a new dictator in El Salvador,” said CONSUELO GÓMEZ.
Beyond physical detention, Bukele’s government has deployed sophisticated surveillance against perceived opponents. Reports indicate the administration has used Pegasus spyware to monitor journalists and human rights defenders, creating an atmosphere of paranoia and self-censorship. This digital repression complements the physical crackdown, ensuring that even those not yet arrested feel the pressure to remain silent or face consequences.
The Trump Alliance and International Response
President Trump’s administration has demonstrated strong support for Bukele, with prominent conservatives including Donald Trump Jr., Matt Gaetz, and Tucker Carlson attending his inauguration. This alliance has emboldened Bukele’s authoritarian tendencies, as he now enjoys protection from what was once the world’s most influential voice for democratic values. The relationship appears mutually beneficial, with Bukele gaining legitimacy while Trump can point to El Salvador’s reduction in crime rates as a model, regardless of the methods used to achieve those statistics.
“We don’t have to applaud everything that they’re doing, but there is a national security interest that should also be balanced,” said Florida Senator Marco Rubio.
The US position on El Salvador represents a strategic pivot from principle to pragmatism. The Biden administration, which initially criticized Bukele’s antidemocratic actions, has notably softened its stance as El Salvador has helped reduce migration to the United States. This policy shift was evident when the US sent a high-level delegation to Bukele’s inauguration despite his clear violation of constitutional term limits. The US Embassy in El Salvador has remained conspicuously silent on recent arrests of government critics, abandoning its previous role as a voice for democratic values in the region.
The Dilemma of Security Versus Liberty
Bukele’s popularity among Salvadorans remains high due to his successful campaign against the country’s notorious gangs. Before his presidency, El Salvador had one of the world’s highest murder rates; today, violence has decreased dramatically. This security improvement presents a challenging dilemma for both citizens and international observers: at what point does the cost to civil liberties and democratic institutions outweigh the benefits of physical security? As Bukele continues to consolidate power while calling himself the “world’s coolest dictator,” this question becomes increasingly urgent for a nation that experienced civil war and military rule in its recent history.
The progressive dismantling of democratic checks and balances in El Salvador offers a cautionary tale about how quickly a democracy can transform into authoritarian rule when institutional guardrails are removed. With critical voices silenced through detention or exile, and with key international allies more concerned with migration control than democratic principles, El Salvador faces a precarious future where power remains concentrated in the hands of a leader who has shown himself willing to bypass constitutional constraints to maintain his position.
