Coolest Dictator

Nayib Bukele is a self-described dictator

Yes, I’ve used “hold my sippy cup” once before. The first time was when I was in Dublin, but this might become a bit of a theme, like Clay Bennett (the good Clay, I’m Evil Clay) does with the MAGA cap. I’m not judging, but he’s done about a gazillion of these, so it must be a theme.

Donald Trump has entered a partnership with Nayib Bukele, the president (sic) of El Salvador, to imprison people from the United States. So far, those people are immigrants who’ve been accused by the Trump regime of being gang members, like MS-13. But the person closest to being a member of MS-13 in this situation isn’t the people the Trump regime has sent to Bukele’s super max prison, but Bukele himself. Whaaaaaaat?

An investigation by El Faro, the first online newspaper in Central America, revealed Bukele had secret negotiations with jailed leaders of MS-13 for their support for his party (which he created after his old one expelled him), in the 2021 legislative elections in exchange for prison privileges and early releases. The US Department of the Treasury and the Justice Department both made the same accusations, but this was during the Biden administration.

In an article by Ricardo Avelar of El Faro, warning us about Bukele, he writes that the self-described “World’s Coolest Dictator” has made El Salvador, a nation of six million people, a one-man state. In 2020, Bukele defied a ruling from El Salvador’s Supreme Court. Five years later, he controls the presidency, the legislative assembly, the attorney general, the electoral board, the police, the military, and all forces that would be able to constrain him.

Also in 2020, he sent soldiers into the legislative assembly to intimidate lawmakers to vote for his spending projects. After winning a super majority in the assembly, his allies voted to replace the entire Supreme Court and attorney general. He’s also attacked news outlets and journalists.

During his second inauguration in 2024, he wore a Napoleonic-style jacket, there was a military parade, and he said his inauguration was “the most important moment in our recent history.”

Does any of this sound familiar?

Bukele is popular in Central America for his tough-on-crime policies and for successfully reducing gang activity and violent crime, which scholars have noted is because of arbitrary arrests and widespread human rights violations. Here in the States, Republicans seem to like autocratic leaders, too.

Bukele has also criticized and spread conspiracy theories about George Soros and denounced globalism, which is a word that’s wink-wink and nudge-nudge for antisemitism.

Donald Trump is doing what Bukele has done in the past, ignoring orders and rulings by his nation’s highest court. The Supreme Court ordered unanimously for Donald Trump to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an innocent immigrant in the nation legally, who the regime “accidentally” kidnapped and shipped to El Salvador’s notorious prison. While at the White House on Monday when talking about returning Garcia, Bukele said, “Of course I’m not going to do it.” Why won’t he do it? Because Trump told him not to.

We are paying El Salvador to imprison the people Trump’s masked goons have kidnapped off the streets. When I say that, it sounds like something that would happen in places like El Salvador or the Philippines, and I’m sure it does. But it’s happening here now.

You wonder if Bukele is profiting off the $6 million we’re paying to use his prison, since it seems his entire family have all suddenly become millionaires.

Defying courts and kidnapping legal residents aren’t the only dictatorial things Trump is doing. Some of the people being kidnapped, detained, and shipped off are only guilty of exercising speech that Trump doesn’t like. He’s withholding funds from universities unless they implement his censorship policies. He’s suspended habeas corpus, due process, from the people the regime’s kidnapped. He’s signing executive orders for new election rules. He’s rooting people out of government who have criticized him. People who worked on cases against him in the Justice Department are being outed, dismissed, and investigated. He’s using the Justice Department to go after his enemies. He spreads lies and conspiracy theories like Putin. He’s installed oligarchs to overrule legislation. He’s pushing the other two branches of government aside and acting like he’s Emperor Palpatine. He’s cutting spending legislated by Congress. He’s even talking about serving a third term. He’s attempting to punish the free world as a vanity project. He coddles dictators while attacking our allies. He’s called Putin a genius while calling Zelensky a dictator. Republicans aren’t talking so much about electing him to a third term, but about installing him into a third term. And now, he’s talking about deporting “home grown” Americans to El Salvador.

When you hear a Trumper talk about Trump, it’s obvious they want him to be a dictator.

During the 2024 campaign, Trump said he wanted to be a one-day dictator, but he seems to be trying to be an eight-year dictator, and Republicans aren’t trying to stop him. Nayib Bukele has referred to himself as the “world’s coolest dictator.” Both of these men have violated their nation’s constitutions.

There’s nothing cool or fashionable about dictators. Trump and Bukele will eventually be in the dustbin of history, where all dictators end up. Hopefully, they don’t take their nations down with them.

Creative note: I wrote this cartoon yesterday. I almost pushed it aside for something else, but decided I needed to do this now.

Music note: I listened to War Paint, an LA indie band I was introduced to last night by a new friend.

Drawn in 30 seconds (turn on your sound):

Time-lapse (turn on your sound):

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