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Axios Latino is the newsletter that summarizes the key news for Latino communities throughout the hemisphere every Tuesday and Thursday.
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1. The topic to highlight: What comes next after an almost assured re-election for Bukele
The Salvadoran Nayib Bukele is practically guaranteed re-election this Sunday, but it remains unclear what he will do with a second term (something unprecedented in the recent history of the Central American country) in which he will also have much greater control of all branches of the Government.
Why it matters:
Bukele's heavy hand in his fight against gangs has led to a drastic drop in violent crime in El Salvador, earning him sky-high approval ratings.
Although the measures have come at the expense of several civil rights, according to advocacy organizations, and some specialists say other important issues such as food insecurity have been largely ignored.
To wit:
Polls estimate that Bukele, 42, will win about 80% of the vote on Sunday and that his party, Nuevas Ideas, will dominate the next National Assembly with about 57 of the 60 seats.
The two parties that took turns in power for many years, Arena and the FMLN, would have between zero and one seat each.
"The path for there to be opposition is very difficult, although the current opposition is also mutilated by its own fault in previous presidencies... But those few deputies, if there are any, do not mean much when it comes to a political balance" says Máximo Zaldívar, regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems.
Bukele also already has immense power in the courts, since with different legal maneuvers several judges have been replaced by magistrates appointed by New Ideas legislators.
It was largely why in 2021 the Constitutional Chamber of the nation's Supreme Court of Justice, now composed of Bukele allies, allowed him to run for re-election even though the Salvadoran Constitution prohibits consecutive terms.
In this context, it seems difficult to have safeguards if Bukele promotes constitutional reforms, more changes to the electoral system or if he and his party make decisions that could endanger democracy, adds Zaldívar.
For example, Zaldívar points out that Nuevas Ideas has already been laying the groundwork with electoral changes that, according to some critics, aim to further concentrate that party's power by reducing the number of seats in the National Assembly and the number of mayors.
Up close:
What has most boosted voter support for Bukele are his security measures.
A mural with Bukele's face that says "Step by step", before the February 4 elections.
Álex Peña/APhotography / Getty Images
Under the state of emergency declared in March 2022, extended more than 20 times and still in force, anyone suspected of gang activity can be imprisoned without a court order.
About 70,000 people, mostly men and some teenagers, are behind bars.
Violence has indeed plummeted after years of very high rates by gangs that were originally established in the United States.
This violence in the last two decades has also been a great factor in the emigration of Salvadorans to the United States and other countries.
But alongside lower rates of violence have come many allegations of human rights abuses, with reports of imprisoned people dying in unclear circumstances, more forced disappearances, and innocent civilians detained without recourse under the state of emergency. .
Bukele has downplayed these allegations, stating that only about 1% of arrests were made by mistake and that his prisons are run "without abuse."
Yes, but:
Other important issues have practically been pushed aside because of the focus on security, says Ricardo Zúniga, a Central America expert at the consulting firm Dinámica Americas and former deputy assistant secretary of the US State Department's Office of Western Hemisphere Affairs. USA
For example, food insecurity is high and the economy is plagued by high public debt that has forced it to resort to loans from the International Monetary Fund.
Bukele's commitment to making bitcoin legal tender has not really led to more investments and in El Salvador few people have adopted the cryptocurrency.
In summary:
Zúniga points out that it is still not clear how the state of exception can be maintained for longer;
what will happen in the country if or when it begins to emerge from the emergency declaration;
nor what will happen to the thousands of Salvadorans and foreigners imprisoned while or since it has to be proven whether or not they should remain in prison.
In addition, Zúniga says that he still has to deal with several gang members who are known to be fugitives or have not been arrested.
The question about this Sunday's elections "is not whether (Bukele) will be successful now. It is what will happen in the future with politics in El Salvador," says Zúniga.
He points out that Central American and Latin American history in general does not provide desirable examples of what happens when power becomes highly concentrated in a single party or group or family.
Along these lines, what happens with democracy in El Salvador "will also have an impact on the rest of the region," he adds.
For example, in other parts of Central America attempts have already been made to imitate the mano dura despite having different circumstances that warrant different policies, and authorities from several nations have warned that alleged Salvadoran gang members are now beginning to operate in their countries.
Bukele has downplayed criticism of his party's tight control, jokingly calling himself the "coolest dictator."
To keep an eye on:
During his first term, an important rhetorical element was to affirm that it was necessary to undo actions of past governments.
But if this Sunday the polls' predictions are confirmed and Nuevas Ideas ends up controlling almost all facets of the Government, it will no longer be enough to point to previous presidents as responsible for the problems, says Zaldívar.
2. More efforts against DEI
Since 2021, proposals aimed at dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs on college campuses have been introduced in 21 states in the United States.
In nine of them these laws have been approved.
Why it matters:
The wave of anti-DEI bills in state legislatures comes amid a wave promoted primarily by conservative politicians against initiatives that seek to combat the bedsits of systemic racism in the US.
Although American Hispanics have made great strides in education, making up nearly 20% of the college student population in 2021, a recent study showed that nearly half of Latino students considered dropping out in 2022.
Anti-DEI laws at universities include prohibitions on funding campus activities or offices that promote diversity.
They have been approved in Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Utah.
Up close:
The anti-DEI reaction has been driven by Republican legislators after a strong movement to redress racial and ethnic disparities that was triggered after the death of George Floyd, a black man who was suffocated by Minneapolis police officers in 2020.
In the midst of this movement, several schools, governments, corporations and more began to have diversity policies.
These usually address issues of sensitivity towards different people, or include educational discussions about who is not mentioned in history books, or seek to make it less difficult to compete for educational positions or quotas for people who historically have had little access to certain places. because of your skin tone or ancestry.
According to conservatives who criticize these programs, DEI measures undermine traditional teachings of American history and make non-Hispanic white students feel guilty.
3. The legacy of Chita Rivera
This week the world said goodbye to Chita Rivera, an American dancer and artist of Puerto Rican origin who broke barriers on Broadway and beyond.
Overview
: Rivera, who has died at age 91, was the first performer of the character Anita in the musical
West Side Story.
In 2019 he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor for a civilian.
Learn more about his career:
4.
In focus: Tia Javier
Every month end this section highlights Latino people who are leaving a mark in their communities.
Tia Javier, 33, is a speech pathologist and owner of Bilinguatherapy in Richmond, Virginia.
Recently, ella Tia received a grant from AT&T's ella she ella's Connected program to grow her business.
Why do you do what you do?
I started Bilinguatherapy after realizing there was a large gap in speech and occupational therapy services available to meet the needs of the Latino community in Richmond.
My mission for Bilinguatherapy is to help close this gap and expand the center's influence throughout the United States, to train more speech therapists to offer their services bilingually.
Photo courtesy of Shirley Williams.
Illustration by Axios VIsuals
What is your recipe to achieve your goals?
Perseverance, self-motivation, having a clear goal in my mind and not forgetting to have a little fun.
What are you reading or watching?
The 5am Club
by Robin Sharma.
As a mother, wife, entrepreneur, and free spirit, this book has helped me better organize my day and get off on the right foot.
My takeaway from the book is that the way you start your day can drastically affect your productivity.
What is something you do just for yourself?
To recharge, I take time for myself at least 4 hours a week.
I turn off my phone and do things I like, like a spa day, sitting in my greenhouse, driving around town, or drinking tea at home alone.
What is the best advice you have received?
Never give up!
I had at least 10 businesses before Bilinguatherapy, which is my most successful business so far.
Growing up deprived of many rights and in poverty, no one would have believed that I would achieve the success I have had so far.
5. Summary of key news in Latin America and the Caribbean
1. Peru opened an investigation
for corruption against former President Martín Vizcarra, who was in power from 2018 to 2020, as announced on Tuesday by the country's Public Ministry.
Virtually all Peruvian presidents since 2000 have been involved in criminal investigations, ranging from committing crimes against human rights to allegations of corruption and treason.
Vizcarra has not commented on the accusations.
Illustration: Natalie Peeples/Axios
2. Three advisors to María Corina Machado's Venezuelan campaign
have been arbitrarily detained and their whereabouts are now unknown, according to the Vente Venezuela party.
Juan Freites, Luis Camacaro and Guillermo López were arrested by the SEBIN last Friday, according to their lawyers and relatives, accused of an alleged "conspiracy" against military barracks.
The lawyers deny this accusation by the regime.
The arrest of the three occurred on the same day that a ruling by the Venezuelan Supreme Court of Justice endorsed the disqualification of Machado as a presidential candidate.
Pachanga Thursday
Every Thursday we publish our Pachanga to highlight reader achievements.
If you or someone you know has just celebrated an anniversary, adopted a pet, or had a job success and wants to celebrate, send an email with information and a photo to
axioslatino@axios.com
Today's congratulations go to Susy Gaviria, who wrote to us to celebrate helping bring to life a new video series for Delta and Spotify highlighting Colombian and Miami-based artists.
Courtesy photo.
Background Illustration by Axios Visuals
Gaviria, who is originally from Medellín, works on Delta's community engagement efforts, which includes managing the airline's social media to promote new artists.
Thanks for reading us!
We return on Tuesday.
And thanks to Carlos Cunha, Eulimar Núñez and Laurin-Whitney Gottbrath for helping review and edit.
If you want to share your experiences with us or send us suggestions and comments, send an email to
axioslatino@axios.com
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Do you want to read any of the previous editions?
A four-day work week: change is beginning to take shape in Latin America
How Texas' anti-abortion law has had a disproportionate impact on Latinas
The border disputes between Texas and the Biden Government will affect “beyond immigration,” warns a lawyer
Without taboos and building community: the magic of witchcraft is also experienced in the US.