That’s how El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele describes himself. Silvia Viñas from the news podcast El hilo explains how his victory this weekend is a blueprint for authoritarians looking to get reelected in a democracy.
This episode was produced by Jesse Alejandro Cottrell, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Patrick Boyd, and host ... Show More
Yesterday
A working-class midterm mandate
Don’t call it a blue wave. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore outlines what a winning Democratic playbook actually looks like. This show was edited by Kasia Broussalian, fact checked by Esther Gim, mixed by Shannon Mahoney, video edited by Christopher Snyder, and hosted by Astead Herndon. P ... Show More
33m 26s
Nov 6
Trump’s Venezuelan oil grift
The US hasn’t delivered democracy, but it is extracting oil and inking shady business deals in Venezuela. This episode was produced by Dustin DeSoto, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Gabriel Dunatov, engineered by David Tatasciore and Bridger Dunnagan, and hosted by Sean ... Show More
25m 53s
Aug 2023
El Salvador: The rise of the ‘world’s coolest dictator’
Not long ago, the tiny nation of El Salvador had the highest murder rate in the world. Now, it has the highest incarceration rate. President Nayib Bukele – who has described himself as “the world’s coolest dictator” – has detained 70,000 gang suspects without trial. His supporter ... Show More
28m 8s
Jun 2024
El Salvador's War on MS-13: Nayib Bukele Goes Hard
Since 2019, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele has smashed the country’s two main gangs, MS-13 and Barrio 18, throwing almost 80,000 people into megaprisons and implementing a harsh but effective “state of exception,” aka martial law. Murder rates have plummeted and, for the first ... Show More
56m 47s
Feb 2024
El Salvador heads to the polls
From the BBC World Service: El Salvador’s current president, Nayib Bukele, is widely expected to be returned to power, but concerns about the economy and human rights violations under his leadership remain. Then, it may take place in a galaxy far, far away, but the trade in “Star ... Show More
9m 1s