SAN SALVADOR (LifeSiteNews) — El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele is attributing the massive turnaround of his six-million-person Latin American country to prayer.
During an interview with Tucker Carlson just days after being sworn in last week, 42-year-old Bukele said that there is a “spiritual war and a physical war” and that “we won the spiritual war.”
President Nayib Bukele saved El Salvador. He may have the blueprint for saving the world. pic.twitter.com/92etFh7sSI
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) June 6, 2024
Bukele was referring to his years-long efforts to root out the murderous MS-13 gang, which was killing people at random.
READ: El Salvador’s pro-life President Nayib Bukele wins re-election in a landslide
Bukele was decried by foreign media outlets as a “threat to democracy” after imprisoning more than 72,000 gang members and drug peddlers after coming to power in 2019. But data indicates that the homicide rate per 100,000 people in El Salvador went from 53 to less than 3 from 2018 to 2023, making it the safest country in the region.
Bukele told Carlson that MS-13 is “satanic” and that “they started doing satanic rituals” by murdering children, so he and his cabinet “prayed” for wisdom to defeat them.
Bukele won reelection in a landslide this past February by capturing 85% of the vote. In a defiant victory speech aimed at Western elites who labeled him a human rights abuser, he exclaimed, “we, the people of El Salvador, decide how we want to govern ourselves.”
Carlson was not the only prominent U.S. figure to appear at Bukele’s inaugural, which terrorists reportedly had planned to disrupt. Several Republicans, including GOP Congressman Matt Gaetz, Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah, and Donald Trump Jr. also attended. Catholic human rights activist Eduardo Verastegui appeared as well.
I congratulated President @nayibbukele this morning for winning a second term and not even having to try to imprison his political opponents!
Bukele said “we don’t jail political opponents here.”
Incredible concept! pic.twitter.com/Ok604ouMA4
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) June 3, 2024
The Biden administration sent current Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas as its lone emissary.
Carlson told Bukele that he was astonished that in his inaugural address he said he was going to enlist God’s help to fix the economy.
“You said, ‘The first point of my plan is seek God’s wisdom’,” Carlson remarked. “Yes … I said that,” Bukele replied. “Why would that be the first point of an economic [plan]?” Carlson inquired. “Well, why wouldn’t it be?” he responded.
Bukele has supported several unique policies since assuming the presidency. In September 2021, Bitcoin was made legal tender. During COVID, his government distributed ivermectin and encouraged exercise and vitamins. He has also refused to allow legalization of euthanasia and “same-sex marriage.”
In February 2024, El Salvadore’s education department announced that “gender ideology” would be removed from public schools. In July 2023, Bukele screened the anti-child trafficking film Sound of Freedom at the Presidential Theater. He then added his signature to an anti-human trafficking measure.
Gracias, presidente @nayibbukele , por invitarnos a presentar Sound of Freedom en El Salvador. Gracias, por su decisión y valentía, al firmar un convenio de trabajo y cooperación para impulsar una lucha sin cuartel contra el crimen feroz de la trata de niños. Celebramos haber… pic.twitter.com/irXWrRRNsE
— Eduardo Verástegui (@EVerastegui) July 30, 2023
Bukele and Carlson also discussed the upcoming U.S. presidential race. Bukele predicted that the efforts being taken to stop Donald Trump will only result in him getting “more votes.”
Bukele’s New Ideas party currently holds a whopping 54 out of 60 seats in the Legislative Assembly. His second term as president lasts for five years.