Bukele: Role Model?
On Sunday, Salvadoran President Nayeb Bukele was re-elected to the presidency in a landslide victory. He will also govern with an absolute majority in the Congress for the next five years.
One might ask how he won.
Simply speaking, he delivered.
Under his leadership, El Salvador has gone from being one of the most dangerous countries on earth to one of the safest. Gangs (known as “Maras”) that used to rule the streets, blackmail Salvadorans from the very poor to the very rich, and murder at will, are now behind bars. Some 75,000 have been jailed, breaking the backs of the Maras and returning the streets to the average citizen.
He has introduced financial and economic reforms to encourage the poorest elements of society to participate in the formal economy and is creating a base to attract hi-tech companies to invest in El Salvador. His objective is to make El Salvador an incubator for hi-tech start-ups and attract high-end foreign investment.
Hi economic policies have also attracted the attention of major financial institutions interested in fintech product development which he sees as a way to modernize the economy and to provide those with no traditional banking experience with the tools with which to engage in the economy.
Cell phones and smart phones properly programed will allow all Salvadorans to engage in personal banking and thus obtain the benefits from a financial system hitherto closed to them.
He has improved living conditions for police officers and the military to encourage them to reduce their dependency on bribes and corruption and coopted them to fight criminal gangs.
To be sure, some human rights groups have expressed their doubts about the methods used to fight crime and corruption and many of them fear a slide into autocracy.
But Salvadorans have overwhelmingly welcomed these results thus far and are looking forward to the next five years to gauge the overall impact of President Bukele’s policies.
Is President Bukele a role model for leaders of other failing or failed states? Perhaps.
But first, he must focus his second term with his vast majority in Congress on delivering good governance and strengthen democratic institutions without diluting the good security situation that he has produced in El Salvador. This will ensure that his legacy as a role model for leaders of other states that are failing or have failed is one of humanistic leadership for the good of all.
President Bukele is not the only leader who has brought his country back from the brink.
I recall that in 1995, after the massacres in Rwanda, President Paul Kagame came to power and brought peace to a violent country. He continues to govern with a firm hand and has upset many human rights organizations.
Rwanda is today a model for other developing countries with a tragic past. It is a technological hub, an organized society with clean cities and towns, a very low crime rate, and a strong infrastructure upon which Rwandans are building a sustainable economy and society.
Neither government is perfect. But both have produced impressive results to the benefit of his people.
And both country’s voters have shown their appreciation for the results.
This leads me to question whether the determination among western governments to install “democratic” governments in countries that lack the historical, social, and institutional infrastructures or cohesion to succeed is realistic.
Democracy is much more than voting every five years.
Previous Salvadoran governments held elections but were ineffective in bringing peace and security to the country. Nor did they respect basic human rights or democratic practices.
President Bukele should focus his second term on consolidating the gains already made by introducing legal institutions that can ensure that the justice system works efficiently and rapidly without depriving law-abiding citizens of their basic rights.
His administration should also avoid the politics of confrontation that affect so many countries in our increasingly polarized world and encourage policies and programs that bring the different elements of society together in pursuit of common goals.
That some 85% of the electorate favor his performance is a good start.
But he must meld security and economic policies with the kinds of social and educational policies and programs that will ensure that his administration continues to address and resolve the broader challenges facing Salvadoran society.
His focus on developing the technology sector of the economy is a wise move that could being solid development and social progress to all sectors of society.
A strong leader with strong popular backing and a solid vision of the future is essential for progress and development. The trick is to maintain that support by continuing to deliver a holistic political, economic, and social series of programs that produce tangible results and improve the lives of all.
If he succeeds, President Bukele’s administration could well become a model for effective governance in many Latin America countries that are failing and make an impact in that region similar to that which Rwanda is making in Africa.