Naqib Bukele: Influencer or the new style Dictator

How Naqib Bukele has utilised social media to control the narrative and bring reform to El Salvador

“Nayib Bukele becoming president of El Salvador” by PresidenciaRD is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: Flickr

Dubbed in 2015 ‘The homicide capital’ with murder rates 90 times higher than the UK, El Salvador was one of the most dangerous places to live in the world.

However, since his inauguration in June 2019, Nayib Bukele has overseen a drastic reduction in the country's homicide rate, seriously cracking down on gang violence.

El Salvador’s homicide rate has fallen from 106.3 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2015 to just 1.9 per 100,000 in 2024. The decline is attributed to Bukele’s robust security strategy, which includes ordinary measures like the Territorial Control Plan and extraordinary measures like the implementation of the Exception Regime.

But how has Social Media played a role?

Well the answer is simple… Twitter.

Bukele’s former X handle translated to “The coolest Dictator in the world” Source: https://x.com/nayibbukele

Like President Trump, Bukele has used Twitter to relate and speak to his audience.

On the app, he showcased his daring manifesto, which included plans to make El Salvador the ‘safest country in the world’ (Currently 15th). But what’s different is the humorous tone he takes.

Bukele has masterfully leveraged social media to cultivate a unique political persona. His approach goes beyond mere engagement.

He strategically uses memes, hashtags, and internet culture to address serious issues in a seemingly lighthearted manner, which has earned him [over 20 million followers across Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.](http://Individual Research)

In addition, Bukele remains active on social media throughout the week. During his first 2 weeks as president, Bukele tweeted an average of 54 messages per day.

At a time where El Salvador needed a voice, Bukele stepped up. By continuously engaging with both fans and sceptics, he created a persona that resonates with the digital age.

Donald Trump meeting with Nayib Bukele, President of El Salvador, by Shealah Craighead (Official White House Photo) is licensed under Public Domain Mark 1.0. Source: Flickr

Whilst Bukele’s larger-than-life persona has been welcomed by many in El Salvador, his tweets and leadership style have drawn skepticism internationally.

When he was first made president, the hashtag #BukeleDictador was trending internationally. This is because, at the beginning of his tenure, citizens protested against the abuses of power by the government, the capture of the judiciary and the consolidation of power around a single political figure

In addition to this, Bukele’s social media activity was likened to President Trump’s. Whilst Trump did gain the majority in the latest election, he is unquestionably a polarising figure and publicises a lot of his controversial opinions through Twitter.

However, unlike Trump, Bukele often takes a more lighthearted and humorous approach to criticism. #BukeleDictador was trending for over a year, it was only till after he became president when the hashtag changed to #QueBonitaDictadura (What a beautiful Dictator).

Chill guy meme posted to Bukele’s Instagram, Official Instagram of President Bukele. Source: Instagram

Bukele’s adept use of social media and his ability to tap into youth culture (Via memes or hashtags) have been instrumental in securing the support of younger voters in El Salvador.

It is undeniable that he has had a positive impact on the small South American country that was once so dangerous. Now, their economy is thriving (after accepting bitcoin as a legal tender) and 75,000 gang members are incarcerated.

However, Bukele must maintain his influencer status to keep his Gen Z supporters. They are the majority of his vote; without them, El Salvador could regress to old ways.