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The president of El Salvador maintains the favor of the population despite being looked at askance by members of the international community, who consider him one of the most authoritarian rulers in the region. However, about 90% of Salvadorans approve of the cycle of the head of state, which he saw as his image climbed positively after declaring war on the gangs. Along with Bitcoin as a currency, this was one of the most significant measures in recent months.
This Wednesday, the Salvadoran president, Nayib Bukele, reached his three-year term in a context in which his popularity is at its peak –reaching peaks of 90%–, according to estimates from the Center for Citizen Studies (CEC) of the University Francisco Gavidia (UFG).
Despite the fact that the president is harshly criticized by actors and organizations of the international community –which accuse him of violating basic human rights and composing an authoritarian regime–, the citizens of El Salvador are on Bukele’s side. Much more, since he declared war on the gangs after the waves of violence.
This last week two surveys were published whose conclusion was similar: the popularity of the head of state is on the rise, without time breaking the enchantment with the people or his controversial government wearing down.
Completing his third year of the five that he will be in power – in case he does not seek reelection – the Bukele Administration reaches a grade of 8.34 on a scale of 0 to 10, indicated the CEC. This signifies a recovery, after in late 2021 his figure dipped to 7.84, the lowest assessment since January 2020.
The study center detailed that citizens emphasize that Bukele’s methods are well received because they had an impact “at the base of the socioeconomic pyramid,” which covers between 50% and 60% of the inhabitants.
However, the CEC also highlights that “in this government all the traditional bureaucratic tools, transparency controls and counterweight political debates have disappeared due to the total control that the Executive has.”
In recent months, Bukele has been singled out by several NGOs and foreign countries – especially the United States, which issued sanctions against officials close to the Salvadoran – who denounced human rights violations and excessive force by the State. However, this did not make a dent in his public image either.
Social organizations filed more than 1,400 complaints for a systematic violation of rights during the exceptional regime enacted to combat the gang war, mainly from lower-class youth.
A year marked by the fight against gangs and the use of Bitcoin
The most outstanding measures that Bukele opted for in his third year in the presidential chair were the adoption of Bitcoin as currency and the declaration of “war” against gang groups, although the acceptance of the people was notoriously different.
Last September, San Salvador enacted the Bitcoin Law and adopted the cryptoactive, which meant the president’s main move in economic matters and which he has not abandoned despite the fact that its value has fallen in recent weeks.
Citizens received this policy with mistrust, according to surveys conducted by the CEC. 52.1% supported Bukele, but did not trust Bitcoin; while another 30% disagreed with both.
Diametrically opposed was the public predisposition with the “war” against the gangs. It included the arrests of tens of thousands of men, some arbitrarily, and which generated controversy -especially with human rights NGOs- for the violation of basic rights.
The state of emergency sanctioned at the end of March and extended twice by Parliament was a strong measure to combat the gangs that unleashed a wave of violence, which included homicides attributed to the Mara Salvatrucha organization. An investigation by ‘El Faro’ pointed out that it was a trigger after a pact between the Government and the vandals was dissolved.
The string of murders claimed the lives of 87 civilians in just three days and prompted Bukele to implement his extreme security plan, which has an approval rating of 7.99 out of 10, according to a study by the University Institute of Public Opinion (Iudop).
with EFE
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