In a new poll released on Tuesday, it was revealed that Nayib Bukele of El Salvador is maintaining a large lead in the race for reelection as president. This poll shows the continued popularity of Bukele, one of Latin America’s most well-liked leaders, largely due to his tough approach to security issues.
According to the poll conducted by Francisco Gavidia University, Bukele holds a commanding 71% lead over his nearest competitors from the traditional political parties of El Salvador. Both of these rivals polled below 3% in the survey.
Bukele, a 42-year-old supporter of Bitcoin and former mayor of the capital city, temporarily stepped down as president last November in order to launch his campaign for a second five-year term. This was made possible after Supreme Court judges ruled that his human right to run for reelection outweighed the constitutional ban on serving consecutive terms as president.
Notably, the judges who made this ruling were appointed by lawmakers from Bukele’s New Ideas Party, which currently dominates the Congress. As a result, the party’s strong influence on the legislature could potentially grow even stronger, with a projected 57 out of 60 seats under the current chamber makeup.
The poll also indicated that about 20% of potential voters surveyed stated that they planned to abstain from voting in the upcoming election on Feb. 4, or leave their ballot blank.
Bukele’s controversial security policies date back to March 2022, when he invoked emergency powers as part of an unprecedented anti-gang effort that resulted in the arrests of over 75,000 suspected gang members. These powers suspended certain rights to due process, leading to criticism and concerns about a creeping authoritarianism in the country.
Despite the criticisms, Bukele’s hardline approach has led to a significant reduction in the murder rate, which was previously one of the highest in the world, and has contributed to his high approval rating.
There have been accusations that Bukele’s government made a deal with El Salvador’s top criminal gangs, Mara Salvatrucha and Barrio 18, in order to decrease the homicide rate and improve the prospects of his party. However, Bukele has consistently denied these allegations.
The poll, which was conducted from Jan. 3-8 and involved approximately 1,900 Salvadorans, acknowledged a margin of error of nearly 3%.
(Reporting by Nelson Renteria; Writing by David Alire Garcia; Editing by Marguerita Choy)
