365: The Bukele Effect: Inside El Salvador’s Radical Transformation
El Salvador used to be one of the most dangerous countries in the world. It was ruled by ruthless gangs, riddled with unchecked violence, and had a government that had completely lost control. But in recent years, the country has undergone a rapid transformation. Now, tourists are returning, families walk the streets safely at night, and the country is now making headlines for very different reasons.
In today’s episode, I will walk you through the rise of President Nayib Bukele—from his early life to becoming the man behind the bold moves that are putting El Salvador back on the map. Whether you’ve been following Bukele for years or are just starting to pay attention, this is a story of transformation you need to hear.
IN TODAY’S EPISODE:
- Listen in to learn Nayib Bukele’s complete backstory—from businessman to revolutionary president
- Tune in for a full breakdown of Bukele’s six-phase economic transformation plan
- Learn how El Salvador has become one of the safest countries in Latin America
- Hear my honest opinion about El Salvador as a Plan-B destination
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Dear Mikkel,
You’re right that Bukele is adopting radical reforms and policies in El Salvador, and they are favorable to large corporations and foreign groups but not to Salvadorans.
And it’s true, he does it without asking permission, because he controls the army and the police, and when you have that control alone, the last thing you worry about is asking anyone’s permission, much less your own people.
You know, regarding financial stability and economic freedom, that’s debatable because, since Bukele concentrates all the power since 2021 and does what he says, respect for the law is lost, and the rules of the game are unclear.
If you’re a friend of Bukele, everything will go well for you, but if you’re not, you’ll have a bureaucracy straight out of your wildest nightmares.
Mikkel, you should be honest and tell your subscribers that the rule of law doesn’t exist in El Salvador; only Bukele’s will exists, which isn’t very different from Maduro in Venezuela or Putin in Russia.
Yes, it’s true, Bukele recently approved “his” investment bank program that allows holding bitcoins.
Just think about this: your financial system is based on fiat currency, as is your local banking and payments system. You have a debt deficit, including your local pension system, of more than forty billion U.S dollars. And now you’re thinking of authorizing investment banks to raise funds for bitcoin from select clients….. What do you think will happen to those banks if the financial system collapses due to a lack of liquidity, no matter how select their clients are?
Bukele came to power because of a pact with the gangs that he himself betrayed once he secured power. Do you really want to do business with these kinds of people?
Bukele never earned more than a high school diploma, and the Salvadoran people elected him because of his slick advertising campaign, not because of his capacity as a public administration.
Look at the phrase “if you build it, they will come…” I’m afraid for El Salvador it would be:
“if you build it without thinking… it might not work.”
Because that’s exactly what Bukele is doing.
He’s building something huge and useless without thinking, and without the trust of freedom-minded entrepreneurs and investors.
Is El Salvador one of the safest countries in Latin America? Yes, of course.
That’s why we have the largest MEGA PRISON in the Americas, as one of Bukele’s great projects. But not just for criminals, but also for those politically persecuted by Bukele, who have already had 450 deaths since 2024, when he began his second unconstitutional term, which makes him a usurper according to the Salvadoran Constitution.
No, Mikkel, without the rule of law in El Salvador, you’d better not follow it as a country anymore, unless you want to send someone you hate to jail because Bukele lends his mega prison to foreigners.
Greetings from El Salvador