El Salvador is on the path to becoming a dictatorship like Nicaragua, civil society groups have warned, as thousands took to the street on Independence Day to protest against populist president Nayib Bukele.
The 42-year-old leader, who once joked that he was the “world’s coolest dictator”, has gutted the small Central American nation’s democratic institutions since he took power in 2019. He introduced sweeping changes to the electoral system three months ago which critics say will further entrench his New Ideas party’s hold on power.
Bukele remains popular in El Salvador because of his “war against the gangs”, which has pushed down crime rates after 72,000 alleged criminals were rounded up in less than 18 months. As a result, he is strongly tipped
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