El Salvador

El Salvador

Against a backdrop of poverty, brutal violence, and entrenched corruption, Salvadorans went to the polls on February 3, 2019, and elected 37-year old Nayib Bukele, who ran an unorthodox campaign positioning himself as an alternative to the two parties who have dominated the country’s political landscape.

The expectations for this young president are huge, and so will be the disappointment if he doesn’t succeed. Now, to deliver on his promises to fight corruption and curb violence, Bukele will have to work with the establishment on whose failures he rode to victory. But did his out-of-the-box communication style already burn those bridges? How did the country get to this political crossroads? And, will he live up to the image that Salvadorans voted for?

Guests

Our host Francesca Gortzounian (@FrancescaGortz) speaks to:

Guest

Eric Olson

Director of Seattle International Foundation’s Central America’s DC Platform and a consultant to the Woodrow Wilson Center

Guest

Glenda Umaña

CNN en Español journalist, who recently spent time in El Salvador during the Presidential elections in February 2019

Guest

Dr. Felix Ulloa

Vice President-elect of El Salvador, who ran with President-elect Nayib Bukele on the GANA party ticket, ending decades of two-party rule