president bukele

El Salvador has experienced a remarkable transformation. What had once been one of the most violent countries in the world has become incredibly safe.

Natalie Kitroeff, the New York Times bureau chief for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, discusses the cost of that transformation to the people of El Salvador, and the man at the center of it, the newly re-elected President Nayib Bukele.

Guest: Natalie Kitroeff, the New York Times bureau chief for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.

Background reading: 

• El Salvador Decimated Its Ruthless Gangs. But at What Cost?
• He Cracked Down on Gangs and Rights. Now He’s Set to Win a Landslide.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Not long ago, the tiny nation of El Salvador had the highest murder rate in the world. Now, it has the highest incarceration rate. President Nayib Bukele – who has described himself as “the world’s coolest dictator” – has detained 70,000 gang suspects without trial. His supporters point to the homicide rate, which is down 93 per cent. But Bukele’s critics warn that his hardline policies risk sacrificing democracy for security. 

This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes.

Guest: Stephen Gibbs, Latin America Correspondent, The Times. 

Host: Luke Jones. 

Clips: NBC, CBS, Channel 4, Sky News Australia, ITV, Al Jazeera, CFR Education.

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A country that was not long ago gripped by gang violence and crime is slowly emerging from fear, thanks to a brutal roundup of young men by a wildly popular, social-media-savvy president. The streets may be safer, but now it is El Salvador’s democracy that is in danger—and neighbouring countries’ leaders may take lessons from its budding autocrat.

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El Salvador went from one of the most dangerous countries to one of the safest, two alleged Chinese spies arrested in New York, and Iowa restricts food stamp access. Get the facts first with Morning Wire. 

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