'Coolest dictator' to 'philosopher king,' Nayib Bukele's path to reelection in El Salvador

[Judi Lynn]

MEXICO CITY (AP) — El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele has called himself the “world’s coolest dictator” or as his X profile read on election day, the “Philosopher King.”

By Christopher Sherman The Associated Press
Monday, February 5, 2024
2 min to read

MEXICO CITY (AP) — El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele has called himself the “world’s coolest dictator” or as his X profile read on election day, the “Philosopher King.”

Now he’ll likely have five more years to provoke, surprise and raise concerns, after appearing to win a landslide reelection as the Central American country’s president. Preliminary and partial results Monday suggested Bukele had romped to victory Sunday over the country’s thoroughly discredited traditional parties from the right and left.

Bukele is a millennial of the we-have-to-break-things mentality, and he shuns ideology. He is a populist in a long line of Latin American populists, but with a mastery of social media, communication and publicity seldom seen before.

A look at some things he did in his first term:

Consolidating Governmental Power

In February 2020, Bukele entered the Legislative Assembly with rifle-toting soldiers after lawmakers balked at approving a security loan proposal. The symbolism of Bukele taking the seat of the chamber’s president backed by the military was powerful.

In April of that year, early in the coronavirus pandemic, police began taking violators of his stay-at-home orders to quarantine centers for up to 30 days. When the Supreme Court said that violated the Constitution. Bukele vowed to ignore the ruling and tweeted: “It is one thing to interpret the Constitution, and another very different thing to order the murder of people.” Human rights groups later said the detentions continued.

More:
https://www.thestar.com/news/world/americas/coolest-dictator-to-philosopher-king-nayib-bukeles-path-to-reelection-in-el-salvador/article_9876ee7d-6a22-58bd-a230-19cad2a09a4c.html

[UpInArms]

1. That is one very strange story

Am not certain how I feel about it 🧐