Why Is Nayib Bukele Popular?
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Nayib Bukele isn’t your run-of-the-mill president. He rocks backwards baseball caps, tweets like he’s on a microphone, and strides into meetings like he’s walking onto a stage. But beneath the image, there’s something else: he’s wildly popular. Based on polls by CID Gallup, his support level has ranged from 75% to 90% since he began his presidency in 2019. It’s a number that, for politicians in this part of the world, is almost unimaginable. So, why are people so fond of him? It’s what he’s accomplished, with what speed he’s accomplished it, and with which he’s made himself accessible to ordinary Salvadorans.
People Support Bukele Because He Drastically Dropped The Crime Rate In A Country Once Known As One Of The Most Dangerous In The World
Prior to entering office, there was one of the world's highest murder rates in El Salvador. It stood at an astonishing 103 homicides for every 100,000 citizens in 2015. Neighborhoods were controlled by such gang organizations as MS-13 and Barrio 18, so security was a luxury that few communities could afford.
He accomplished that with an uncompromising approach. He declared a state of emergency across the country in March 2022, sending in military units and police officers to gang-ridden districts. Over 75,000 people have since been arrested in the state's campaign against gang crime. El Salvador now has one of the lowest rates of crime in Central America—it declined to just about 2.4 murders for every 100,000 citizens in 2023. Streets that were turned into war zones are now safe enough to stroll. Citizens are finally starting to feel secure. It's no accident that security had a lot to do with people forming opinions about him.
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Bukele’s Constant Presence On Social Media Makes Him Feel Closer To Regular People Than Traditional Politicians Ever Did
He doesn’t just rule from behind the desk—he tweets his decrees, posts memes, and broadcasts announcements over livestreams. His use of social media is something that members of the previous generation of politicians just never did, and particularly younger Salvadorans have resonated with that.
He's been able to make social media an immediate channel to citizens. Rather than await a newsreader to describe what's going on, people hear it from him directly—often in real time. Such communication tends to make him feel closer to an individual human being than an abstract leader. And in a nation that felt long disregarded by its government, that connection is precious.
Bukele Took A Risk On Bitcoin And Made El Salvador A Global Conversation Point In The Tech And Financial World
In 2021, Bukele made a monumental move no one anticipated. He made El Salvador become the first-ever country to make Bitcoin an official legal tender. His intention was to digitize the financial system, particularly for 70% of Salvadorans that did not have a banking account.
While some experts raised questions, there were some who deemed it bold. Bukele launched Chivo Wallet app and even deployed Bitcoin ATMs across the country. While the price of Bitcoin varied, such a step made El Salvador a global center of attraction in the world of cryptocurrency. It also attracted interest from foreign investors and cryptocurrency enthusiasts who now consider the country an example of what is in store for digital currencies.
Even if the outcome remains to be seen, that Bukele attempted something different and new contributed to his image as a doer rather than a talker, and that only made him all the more attractive to a people fatigued by empty promises.
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His Style Of Leading Feels More Like Taking Action And Less Like Talking About It Which Is Why People Actually Pay Attention
One of Bukele's greatest attributes is that he gets things done. Whether it's new roads, police vehicles, school fix-ups, or upgrades to hospitals, his projects don't stay on the drawing board. Since his party gained a majority in the Legislative Assembly in 2021, there was no longer any controlling opposition. Bukele could move quickly—and did.
It entails contentious choices, such as firing senior judges and the attorney general. While critics contend that it concentrates too much authority in one spot, his supporters insist it's the way to stop a system that's been broken since it started. And for ordinary Salvadorans who have spent their entire lifetime patiently waiting for genuine change, speed is everything.
The Popularity Of Nayib Bukele Continues To Stay High Because People Feel Like Their Lives Are Finally Moving In A Better Direction
Popularity is simply a matter of people's feelings. And today, many Salvadorans are feeling safer, heard, and hopeful. That is not something that can be feigned with a speech or a glamorous campaign. It is something that occurs when people glance around their communities and actually notice things improving.
