El Salvador is set to thrive under Bukele's leadership after successfully halting murder and migration during his first term.

Nayib Bukele, El Salvador's President, began his second term with an 85% vote, and has garnered international attention for his strong stance and actions against the country's notorious gangs, as well as his successful efforts to reduce murder rates.

Bukele's war on the gangs has faced criticism from the U.N., NGOs, and the Biden administration over alleged human rights abuses and political interference in the judiciary, but his innovative approach has resulted in a significant improvement in safety, making El Salvador one of the safest countries in the Americas, with only Canada having a lower murder rate, according to Salvadoran officials, as reported by Reuters.

El Salvador experienced its safest year in history in 2023, with a total of 154 homicides and a homicide rate per thousand inhabitants of 2:24. Additionally, 94.8% of homicides were solved.

The construction of a 40,000 capacity high-security prison and the arrest of over 70,000 gang members have contributed to a decrease in crime, but human rights organizations have criticized his policies, arguing that many of those arrested were innocent and not gang members.

During the election, Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., criticized Bukele's actions in El Salvador and urged the U.S. State Department to reevaluate its relationship with the country. Bukele responded by expressing gratitude for Omar's attacks, stating that he would be concerned if she had supported him in the election.

Bukele's pragmatic programs have had a significant impact on Salvadorans since his time as mayor. He organized free health clinics and enhanced the safety of his municipality. As a publicist, he excelled at communicating his actions and achievements.

He has consistently positioned himself as a politician who opposes the establishment and, with his very disruptive style of speech, has connected with many people because they recognized that he does things differently.

El Salvador serves as a shining example of how to transform a society engulfed in violence into a symbol of hope, according to Yossi Abadi, a well-known Israeli entrepreneur and investor with extensive experience in the region, who spoke to Planet Chronicle Digital.

El Salvador was once the most violent country in the world, with nearly 110 homicides per 100,000 people. However, under President Bukele's administration, the country has made an unprecedented leap to become the safest in the Western Hemisphere. The homicide rate has plummeted from 110 to just 2.3 per 100,000 people, making it safer than the United States and Canada. Abadi, who also serves as the Honorary Consul of El Salvador in Israel, made this claim.

According to Johnny Wright Sol, a former opposition congressman in El Salvador, the Salvadoran government, led by Nayib Bukele, has made the country safer due to the ongoing "war on gangs." This has contributed to Bukele's popularity, and his government's communications apparatus, which is highly sophisticated and state-financed, dominates the political narrative through social media.

Nevertheless, the apparent safety of El Salvador's democracy comes at a considerable expense. Despite its democratic facade, the country has a congress that serves the interests of the presidency and a Supreme Court that overturns jurisprudence and reinterprets the constitutional text to allow for presidential re-election. The executive branch is controlled by a leader and his family who wield power above the law. This is not a new development, even with Bitcoin as legal tender. It is merely a return to our tragic, authoritarian past, Wright Sol warned.

The Biden administration initially shunned Bukele, refusing a White House meeting with him in 2021. However, recent developments suggest that relations are improving. A high-level delegation, led by U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, attended his inauguration last week.

The Associated Press reported that "Bukele’s strong-armed governing style has been overshadowed by more pressing concerns related to immigration, a major issue in this year’s U.S. presidential election."

"Bukele, a Salvadoran government adviser, has been successful in addressing the root causes of migration, according to Damian Merlo, an American adviser to Bukele who lobbies on behalf of the Salvadoran government."

President Bukele has been successful in improving security in El Salvador by addressing the two issues that were causing problems: the lack of police control over territory, which was held by gangs, and the ineffective judiciary. As a result, many businesses had to pay extortion, and people were afraid to report crimes and extortions. As president and with control of the National Assembly, he declared a state of emergency, built a prison quickly, and sent thousands of gang members to prison.

During Bukele's presidency, there were over 600 days without a murder, compared to only one day in 15 years before. In my opinion, Bukele deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for bringing genuine peace to his people, which has fostered economic growth, tourism, innovation, and education. This true peace has allowed citizens to walk the streets of San Salvador at night without fear of being shot, kidnapped, or tortured by criminals and terrorists.

Under Bukele's leadership, El Salvador has experienced an economic boom due to increased security. Security fosters trust, which in turn leads to investment and development. Bukele's success is rooted in his ability to face criticism, even from international organizations that have historically failed to provide solutions to the nation's problems. Today, people in El Salvador can live without fear of violence, allowing children to dream and women to walk freely on the streets.

Bukele's actions have made him a symbol of courage and change in Latin America, with people outside of El Salvador associating his name with a leader who challenges the status quo and achieves the impossible.

This article was contributed to by Peter Aitken of Planet Chronicle, Reuters, and the Associated Press.