Analysis of Salvadoran public opinion on punitivism as a discursive strategy for enhancing security in the country

Abstract

This study focuses on investigating the perception of public opinion of El Salvador regarding punitivism as a discursive strategy to promote national security. This analysis has been developed since Nayib Bukele’s rise to the presidency in 2019 and the measures adopted by his government in order to fight against mara-related crime, notable for its firm policies. The mano dura approach of the president has sparked controversy among international, governmental, and non-governmental organizations, as well as other countries. Nevertheless, the Salvadorans have re-elected him for a second term -in an election in which he was supposed to be unable to participate- reaching over 85% of the votes. 

El Salvador has experienced a complex political, economic, and social situation marked by significant violence and territorial control by the maras. However, the arrival of Bukele to power, along with his punitive measures, has reduced the country’s homicide rate from around 104 per 100.000 inhabitants in 2015, to a 2,4 per 100.000 inhabitants in 2023. This decline has been followed by a shift in the primary concerns of Salvadoran public opinion, where the security of the country no longer stands out as an emergency. Therefore, Salvadorans perceive the president’s measures as effective in combating mara violence, even though they are aware of principles that are being sacrificed.