"Some may say that we've incarcerated thousands, but the reality is, we've liberated millions" - President Nayib Bukele
Nayib Bukele, the self-proclaimed "coolest dictator" and president of El Salvador, delivered these boastful words at the 2024 U.N. Assembly. Since winning the presidential election by nearly 54 percent in 2019, Bukele has prided himself on single-handedly eradicating gang violence from the country and decreasing El Salvador's exceptionally high murder rates by 98 percent. This remarkable statistic, if true, came at a price, though, as it involved the imprisonment of 1.7 percent of El Salvador's population. Bukele's "war on gangs" also involved engaging in dubious actions that undermine Salvadoran democracy. Regardless, President Bukele enjoys high domestic approval ratings of 90% and has received international endorsement. In this Senior Thesis, I argue that President Bukele has constructed a compelling facade of success despite dismantling El Salvador's democracy and violating human rights. Following previous scholarship, I contend that the Salvadoran president achieves this through the implementation of the "Bukele model". The "Bukele model" is a unique system of punitive policies, composed of authoritarian populist tactics, the abuse of the state of exception, and the manipulation of social media. All of these elements are inseparable and fundamental to the model. I conclude that Bukele's popularity, both domestic and international, masks the fragility of his achievements and ultimately contributes to the global trend of autocratization, making this a relevant issue.
Acknowledgements: I'd like to thank my advisor, Professor Seri for her patience and wisdom. My Senior Thesis would not be complete without her knowledge and advice.