The resounding victory in the recent elections claimed by El Salvador’s President, Nayib Bukele, is seen as further cementing the influence of his security policies across Latin America. Argentine Security Minister, Patricia Bullrich, expressed interest in emulating Bukele’s approach just a day after the Salvadoran leader secured reelection by a significant margin. This signals a trend where governments in the region, ranging from Honduras to Ecuador, are considering adopting Bukele’s tough stance on gang violence, including measures like imposing a state of emergency and implementing widespread incarceration, which have notably reduced homicide rates in El Salvador.
However, Laura Chinchilla, former President of Costa Rica and a security expert, challenges the notion that Bukele’s tactics could serve as a blueprint for Latin America. She argues that there are viable alternatives to combatting crime, citing her own successful strategies during her presidency from 2010 to 2014, which led to decreased homicide rates and increased incarcerations without compromising the rule of law, as she believes Bukele’s approach does. Here’s a summary of the discussion with Chinchilla, who also served as Costa Rica’s Minister of Public Security and Justice and consulted for international organizations on these matters.
Chinchilla pointed out the erosion of key democratic elements in El Salvador, including the absence of a level electoral playing field and the neutralization of the electoral authority. She highlighted concerns over constitutional violations and the shrinking space for independent media. Despite Bukele’s landslide victory, Chinchilla emphasized that electoral success alone does not justify unilateral decision-making. She cautioned against marginalizing minority voices in a democratic society. Bukele’s claim about having a single-party system within a democratic framework was met with skepticism by Chinchilla, who views such assertions as indicators of a potentially troubling trend rather than a cause for celebration.
