He was called a dictator. They accused him of using the military to repress and violating human rights. Progressive voices in Europe and the Americas were outraged when Nayib Bukele flooded the streets with soldiers to confront the gangs that had brought El Salvador to its knees.
But the truth is different: thanks to that bold decision, El Salvador achieved what seemed impossible. A full 1,000 days without homicides. Neighborhoods once dominated by terror are now filled with families. Thousands of gang members are behind bars. Life has returned to a country once held hostage by crime.
Bukele always made it clear: the safety of his people takes precedence over the opinions of foreign bureaucrats. He never asked for permission to save lives. He ignored the editorials of progressive media and the speeches of the European left. His focus was on the people of his country.
Now, the hypocrisy stands exposed. In Brussels, the capital of Belgium, the same government that criticized Bukele is considering deploying the military to the streets to stop a wave of organized crime shootings. When Europe does it, it’s called a strategy.
When a Hispanic American country does it, it’s labeled a dictatorship.
Hellbound and Down 