Bukele never had an ideological or national plan, says exiled journalist Óscar Martínez

Investigative journalist Óscar Martínez, who spent a decade covering criminal gangs in El Salvador, has become a vocal critic of President Nayib Bukele's security policies. Martínez, now living in exile in Mexico, argues that Bukele's celebrated approach to combating violence masks a consolidation of personal power and authoritarian practices.

“

Bukele never had an ideological or national plan.

Martínez contends that Bukele never possessed a coherent ideological or national plan. Instead, he believes Bukele adeptly exploited public disillusionment with traditional left-right political divides, falsely presenting himself as an outsider. Martínez points to Bukele's shifting political allegiances, from left-leaning to far-right, as evidence of his opportunistic approach.

In his book, "Bukele, el rey desnudo" (Bukele, the Naked King), Martínez details how Bukele's government prioritized the fight against gangs while simultaneously building a personalized power structure. He questions whether the erosion of institutions and citizen rights is an acceptable price for perceived public safety, a notion he rejects.

“

Bukele knew that the majority of people in El Salvador were no longer interested in the left-right discussion, that it no longer fed them.

Martínez cites Bukele's economic policies, such as promoting Bitcoin in a country with high informal employment and later accepting an IMF loan, as examples of his "impromptu" governance. He also highlights the shift in security policy, from alleged past alliances with gangs to the current state of exception, following a significant massacre.

“

Bukele is a man of occurrences.