Important facts:
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The Nuevas Ideas party also dominates the polls and wins the legislative assembly.
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If Bukele wins as expected, all Bitcoin-related actions will continue.
Amid great expectations, legislative elections will take place in El Salvador this Sunday, February 4th.
On a day that begins at 7 a.m. and will be attended by more than 6 million people, Salvadorans will decide who will be president, vice president and representative in the Legislative Assembly.
This is a competition that Nayib Bukele has the best chance of winning. The current president leads the voting intention, which It is estimated at 81.7%.accordingly Survey conducted from the University Institute of Public Opinion (Iudop) of the José Simeón Cañas Central American University (UCA).
The data also shows that the Nuevas Ideas (NI) party would retain the majority in the Legislative Assembly 57 of 60 seats.
This percentage makes it most likely that Bukele and his party will be declared winners in the first round. This is taking into account the fact that the rules require a candidate must receive 50% of the votes in his favor to be appointed president.
The country is facing a milestone in this case, not only because of Bukele's very high popularity, but also because the president would become the first president in El Salvador's recent history. be re-elected for a second term. The last time a president sought re-election was in 1944.
Security as a flag for re-election
Re-election was one of the most contentious elements of this campaign. Although this is not provided for in the laws, the President managed to enter the race with the support of the Legislative Assembly, and a controversial interpretation of the constitution.
Bukele's large lead makes him one of El Salvador's most popular presidents. Support that extends to a large number of Countries in Latin America and from around the world, where the Salvadoran's management is applauded.
Their strategy to reduce the high levels of insecurity suffered by Salvadorans is their main concern.
Bukele boasts of having pacified the country With his controversial “war on gangs”, in which he imprisoned around 75,000 people, he was sharply criticized internationally and accused of disregarding human rights.
It also stands out as the Bitcoiner President, the only one who dared to keep BTC as legal tender. This despite opposition from the United States and international organizations such as the International Monetary Fund.
The role of Bitcoin in the elections
Although it is the issue of security that has catapulted Bukele's popularity, his interest in Bitcoin It wasn't secondary. The president himself has acknowledged the role of digital currency on several occasions in the further development of the country.
In March last year, the president spoke about the image change that El Salvador was experiencing thanks to the cryptocurrency pioneer.
He drew attention to the desire that many Bitcoiners now have to visit a small third world country that was previously virtually unknown to them.
There are people who want to escape the censorship and legal bans imposed on these technologies in many countries. They are people looking for places that are open (to Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies), and not only are we open, but we also have BTC as legal tender. That's why there are many people who are interested in our system.
Nayib Bukele, President of El Salvador.
Although only 10% of the population admits to using Bitcoin so far, the currency started everything a disruptive movement in the country. With a wave of visitors, investments and companies connected to the ecosystem settling in El Salvador and projected worldwide.
This movement also offers its support for re-election as the majority of Bukele's opponents do not support his Bitcoin strategy. As a result, Bukele's stay in the presidency is also unfavorable the continuation of the Bitcoiner project.
This was confirmed a few days ago by the Vice President of El Salvador, Félix Ulloa. The official, who is also seeking re-election, said that all Bitcoin projects the government has implemented since 2021 They will continue in the new presidential term.
Bukele's opponents are clearly at a disadvantage
The opposition to Bukele again is clearly at a disadvantage. The presidential candidates Manuel Flores (FMLN), Joel Sánchez (Arena), Luis Parada (Nuestro Tiempo), José Renderos (Fuerza Solidaria) and Mariana Murillo (Fraternidad Patriota Salvadoreña) performed most positively in the surveys. Together they add up to barely 12.2%. the voting intention.
Most of them confront the president with proposals rooted in the economy. Some are convinced that the polls are wrong and even claim that there could be a second round. Others argue that they have a “historic responsibility” to offer options focused on legislative campaigns.
In this context and despite its great advantage Bukele has called on citizens to close the doors to the other parties.
“Nuevas Ideas has a qualified majority, but with just one less representative we would lose this majority and jeopardize the war against the gangs (…) The opposition will be able to realize its true and only plan: to free the gang members and Occupy them to return to power,” he declared.
This is an offensive line that Bukele continually maintains count in X.
In these final days of the campaign, the social network It has become a kind of ditch From here, the president underlines the support he receives from his many supporters. Bitcoiners and even some of their critics are getting involved.
At the same time, while he waits for the elections, he does not stop questioning those who oppose him. A list that includes not only his compatriots, but also officials and politicians from the USA.