Nayib Bukele´s populism as a policy of enmity

Abstract

This article analyzes Nayib Bukele's autocratic government in El Salvador as an exemplary case of the emergence of new radical right-wing populist governments in Latin America. The case is examined through the convergence of seven theoretical approaches to populism and its relationship with the radical right-wing. By appealing to theoretical plurality, the article seeks to integrate conceptual frameworks that help understand how the friend/enemy dichotomy is configured in Bukele’s populist discourse. Using a qualitative and processual approach, key moments in the political transformation process are identified. The case is relevant because it demonstrates how right-wing populism can transition toward autocratic forms of government. The dynamics of power concentration in the Executive, the progressive dismantling of checks and balances, and the establishment of a state of exception in El Salvador provide insights into how right-wing populisms can acquire dictatorial characteristics. The analysis highlights that while populism has been a key category in explaining the dynamics of these regimes, in Bukele's case, its use proves insufficient. The comparison of theoretical assumptions with the case suggests that it is more appropriate to characterize his government as a regime that revives elements of historical authoritarianism.