Texas Border Business
Texas Border Business
On February 22, 2024, El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele delivered a blunt warning to the United States during his address at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at the National Harbor in Oxford Hill, Md. He passionately urged Americans to recognize the dangerous decline within their nation and act before it’s too late.
“Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele,” announced the host, Matt Schlapp, to a crowd of enthusiastic applause. President Bukele stepped to the podium with energy, thanking the hosts and organizers before diving into a sobering message.
“Thank you, everyone. I love you, too. Dear Matt and Mercy, thank you for the kind invitation to CPAC. It is truly an honor to be here just a few days after our presidential and legislative elections, which pulverized the opposition.”
He then compared the challenges facing the U.S. to the turmoil his own country experienced decades ago. He noted that El Salvador’s political and social breakdown of the 1960s and 1970s didn’t initially seem alarming but eventually escalated into a devastating civil war. The key issue, he stressed, was complacency.
A Boiling Frog Metaphor: Society’s Decline
“We don’t always recognize how fast a problem can multiply and spiral out of control,” Bukele warned. “The problem is much like the metaphor of the boiling frog. Once the water boils, it’s already too late.”
Bukele explained that El Salvador’s civil war resulted in 50 years of devastation, with two wars, 250,000 lives lost, and a third of the population displaced. The rise of gangs exacerbated the issues. Many Salvadorans fled to the United States, where they formed violent gangs that were later deported back to El Salvador without warning, further fueling the gang violence.
“When former President Clinton deported a lot of those gang members without telling us they were criminals, they roamed free and recruited thousands of young Salvadorans to join the gangs. At first, they seemed like petty criminals, but they began to change and transform until they became the unscrupulous terrorists that we know today.”
Bukele drew direct parallels to the current state of U.S. society, highlighting how major cities such as Baltimore, Portland, New York, Philadelphia, and San Francisco have become havens for crime and drug abuse.
“Big cities in decline like Baltimore, Portland, and New York, just to name a few places where crime and drugs have become the daily norm and are even accepted and promoted by the government,” he emphasized. “How many young people have you lost to the streets of Philadelphia or San Francisco to fentanyl?”
The president painted a grim picture of what could happen if Americans don’t recognize the severity of their current issues. He stressed the importance of acting before the situation becomes irreparable.
“The same thing was happening in El Salvador. In less than a decade, gangs took control of the whole country and our society. They evolved into a parallel government controlling elections and even political parties. The gangs controlled every aspect of daily life.”
To tackle the widespread gang violence, Bukele’s administration implemented drastic measures. Although criticized internationally for perceived human rights violations, Bukele’s “war on gangs” led to a drastic reduction in violent crime.
“We did the unthinkable to cleanse our society. We arrested the terrorists, but we also had to remove corrupt judges and corrupt attorneys and prosecutors.”
He cautioned that America is not yet at that point but warned that action must be taken swiftly to prevent a similar fate.
“You are not there yet, and believe me, you don’t want to be. We are already seeing the symptoms of a declining society here in the United States.”
Final Message: A Call to Action
Bukele urged Americans to fight for their freedoms and rights and to elect a president who will confront the challenges unapologetically and courageously. He called on the audience to recognize the dangers posed by “dark forces” that are “already taking over your country.”
“The next president of the United States must not only win an election; he must have the vision, the will, and the courage to do whatever it takes, and above all, he must be able to identify the underlying forces that will conspire against him.”
In his closing remarks, he reminded the audience that recognizing the warning signs and taking swift action is crucial.
“Believe me, you don’t want to wait 50 years and maybe hope for a miracle to get out of hell. You can still jump before the water boils.”
Bukele’s speech left an indelible impression on the CPAC audience, marking a moment of reflection and urgency for conservatives seeking a path forward in the face of America’s growing challenges.
