Bukele of El Salvador condemns censorship while highlighting his country's transformation: "We have liberated millions"

In his address to the United Nations General Assembly, El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele cautioned that society is approaching a "dangerous turning point" during this "difficult time."

Bukele stated to the General Assembly that despite being a small country, it serves as an excellent model for other nations, emphasizing that it does not imprison opposition, censor opinions, or confiscate property from those who hold different beliefs.

""In El Salvador, both freedom of expression and private property are always protected," Bukele stated."

"In El Salvador, we prioritize the safety of our honest citizens over the comfort of criminals," he stated. "Some argue that we have imprisoned thousands, but the truth is that we have freed millions."

Elon Musk commended Bukele's "great speech" on social media platform X, specifically praising the portion where the president discussed the need to "shelter from the coming storm to maintain hope." Bukele visited the Tesla Gigafactory in Austin, Texas, last week before speaking at the United Nations.

"Some say that we have imprisoned thousands, but the reality is that we have freed millions."

"Bukele, a Salvadoran, acknowledged the symptoms because they have been experienced in their country. "We witnessed the collapse of our nation gradually and now we see the same steps, but on a global scale," he stated."

After cracking down on crime, Bukele gained international recognition by constructing a massive prison that houses thousands of inmates and granting law enforcement greater authority to remove suspected gang or criminal individuals from the streets.

El Salvador's rapid and substantial transformation, according to Bukele, was due to his people's recollection of "the notion that freedom is something you seize, not something that is bestowed upon us," and he encouraged others to visit El Salvador and contribute to its vision.

""Maintaining freedom in a less free world will be more challenging than the steps we've taken to free our country," Bukele stated."

"El Salvador has moved on from its past, but we don't want to go back to it," he said, adding that "it's not too late to construct a bridge and to leave the dust storm behind."