El Salvador
It all begins with an idea.
In the small coastal enclave of El Zonte lives a street vendor who once had a checkered past, but has since redeemed his ways. Because he still wears the tattoos that define his former allegiance, he was imprisoned during the massive sweep to wrest power from the gangs. When the community petitioned for his freedom, he was released, demonstrating the power of local support for justice.
You may not have the pleasure of meeting the mastermind behind the decriminalization of El Salvador, although I did hear that he hangs out at Sucre in Colonia San Benito. There are five security checkpoints to meet the president at his residence, given he has more than a few enemies lurking in the shadows. That could be the CIA and it could be vigilantes in hiding, but it’s certainly not your everyday citizen, enamored by this man who, despite a history of predecessors in exile, prison, and embezzled disgrace, is determined to transition his country to prosperity.
Despite 91% approval ratings at home, Bukele has a bad rap in the US of human rights violations now that 65,000 have been incarcerated. But with El Salvador finally safe after decades of civil war and gang violence, you can come and decide for yourself. Just remember that the US has a long history of denying nationalist leaders the right to govern their own countries, particularly when interests are unaligned.
Bitcoin madness is on acid here and attracts all manner of fanatics betting their personal fortunes on the unstable currency with eccentric and often confused theories of inflation and quantitative easing. The best outcome is Chivo, Bukele’s cross-border remittance solution that has transformed the economy, enabling dollars to flow into the country without burdensome fees. It was built entirely by Salvadoran and Venezuelan technologists, and according to locals, works flawlessly.
Speaking of locals, they showed me nothing but kindness during my six-week stay, in spite of – or perhaps because of – having been through so much. If you have the patience, you’ll uncover all kinds of diamonds in the rough under their careful guidance. There’s colonial Suchitoto with its nearby indigo plantation. There’s El Carmen Estate in Ataco with its trapped-in-time industrial machinery for coffee production and the sulfurous splendor of Termales de Santa Teresa. And there’s the military museum in the capital, guarded by soldiers living in crude barracks (when not on mission in the countryside).
Perhaps most promising is the surf culture, with the coast rapidly becoming known as a world-class destination. Arguably the most elegant sport on earth, surfing is mastered by Salvadorans at a young age. They have little fear of 12-foot walls of water as they pull out all the stops with dare-devil maneuvers such as 360 jumps on the board and propeller-type flips and spins while body surfing. “Sin duda,” they’re ready to ride the wave of their country’s future.
Here’s my photo essay on El Salvador.