Central America
Nayib Bukele, the ruler who breaks ideologies in favor of the people

October 2 |
Nayib Bukele is a president who has transcended ideologies, which has allowed him to work without political-party ties for El Salvador and its inhabitants, especially the marginalized, the excluded and those in vulnerable situations, according to political and social analysts.
Mauricio Rodríguez and Nelson Flores, sociologist and specialist in public administration, respectively, agree that all the projects developed by the Bukele administration have the common denominator of benefiting the communities.
“Transcending ideologies allows us to see the problems of the population to attack them head on and in a forceful manner, and that is what has been done since [Bukele] came to power,” ponders political analyst and sociologist Mauricio Rodríguez.
While Flores considers that “President Bukele from the beginning of his administration managed to capture and understand the common feeling and the real needs of the most unprotected and marginalized population for decades”.
Both analysts also consider that, by transcending ideologies, the Salvadoran president is guaranteeing the welfare and social development of Salvadorans who for years were at the center of the class struggle of right and left.
“President Bukele’s actions made a difference, and his policy focused on seeking the welfare of the population with specific and timely actions,” says Flores, who is also an international cooperation consultant.
Flores maintains that Bukele, with his plan for the nation, has transcended ideologies in the areas of public security, education, health, housing and technology, with which he has put Salvadorans at the center without distinction.
“The population was unprotected and marginalized for decades by a bipartisanship [ARENA and FMLN] that only sought to satisfy the interests of its political leaders and ruling class,” he recalls.
Meanwhile, Rodríguez also maintains that the Bukele administration “has left ideologies aside and has made El Salvador move forward” despite the ungovernability caused by the previous Legislative Assembly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the world economic crisis, among other external factors.
As part of his presidential administration without ideological ties, Bukele has consolidated diplomatic relations and friendship with powers such as the United States, Turkey, the People’s Republic of China, among others. Diplomatic relations were recently established with Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Burundi and Angola, in the African continent.
On the contrary, every year-end ARENA and FMLN showed how to block -for ideological reasons- the development of the country and the wellbeing of its inhabitants. The FMLN and ARENA in the Legislative Assembly conditioned their votes on the approval of the general state budget. The ARENOS repeated the same script when they were the opposition in the Congress and the Farabunditas governed the Executive.
Former ARENA advisor and political analyst Carlos Araujo has recognized that the so-called representative democracy and the balance of power have only served for the opposition to block each other and affect the welfare of the people.
“During these 30 years one was in the Government and the other side was in the Assembly with the opposition, and what did they do? They blocked each other […]. Democracy did not solve the big problems that the people demanded”, explains Araujo.
With his triumph in February 2019, Bukele broke with 30 years of the arenero-efemelenista bipartisanship, being considered a person without ideological prejudices that has allowed building a new country from Plan Cuscatlán.
His triumph at the polls, with over 53% of votes, made him the youngest president in the recent history of El Salvador who did not have the traditional ARENA and FMLN parties as his guide, both of which are today splashed by corruption scandals after leaving the Executive.
Bukele is the best evaluated and most popular head of state of El Salvador more than four years after the beginning of his administration, something unprecedented in the recent history of the country, as well as the most influential politician in the region, according to surveys of national and international firms.
With a view to the 2024 elections, Bukele has a 68.4% voting intention, according to the latest public opinion poll of the Universidad Francisco Gavidia (UFG).
Central America
Guatemalan police officer killed in mob riots over baby kidnapping

A police officer was killed during riots provoked by an enraged mob in a Guatemalan town following the kidnapping of a baby, the government reported on Wednesday.
The incidents began on Tuesday night and continued into the early hours of Wednesday in the town of San Vicente Pacaya, about 25 km south of the capital, according to Minister of the Interior Francisco Jiménez.
“There was an incident in San Vicente Pacaya where, unfortunately, a police officer died after being struck in the head with a stone. He passed away this morning,” Jiménez said in a press conference.
He explained that the unrest erupted following the arrest of two suspects in connection with the kidnapping of “a baby just a few months old,” including a woman with a criminal record.
Sports
Venezuela investigates 18 baseball players seeking asylum in Spain

The Venezuelan government announced on Wednesday that it is investigating the case of 18 baseball players who are “under the supervision of Spanish authorities” after seeking protection.
In a statement, Venezuelan authorities said they are working to determine whether this case involves “a possible human trafficking scheme,” though they have not provided any evidence of such a crime.
The Venezuelan government emphasized its commitment to protecting the country’s athletes while also denouncing the use of international legal frameworks by certain governments allegedly seeking to discredit the administration.
CNN reached out to Spain’s National Police for a response to Venezuela’s claims. According to Spanish authorities, the 18 young athletes—including two minors—arrived in Spain to participate in a series of matches but had already planned to apply for asylum. Authorities confirmed on Tuesday that they had begun interviewing the players to process their international protection requests.
The team’s coach addressed the situation in a TikTok video, refuting local media reports that he had abandoned the athletes. He asserted that the players chose to remain in Barcelona to secure the necessary permits to sign with other teams and that their decision was unrelated to any political motivations.
Sports
Filipe Luis debuts as coach in Copa Libertadores with Flamengo

A two-time Copa Libertadores champion with Flamengo during his playing days, Filipe Luis will make his managerial debut in the tournament this Thursday when the popular Rio de Janeiro club faces Venezuela’s Deportivo Táchira.
Placed in Group C alongside Táchira, Liga de Quito, and Argentina’s Central Córdoba, Flamengo starts as one of the favorites—a major challenge for the 39-year-old former player.
His early coaching career has been off to a strong start.
After retiring in 2023, Filipe Luis took over as Flamengo’s head coach on September 30. Just 41 days later, he won his first title, the Copa do Brasil. The year 2025 has already brought two more trophies: the Supercopa do Brasil, where Flamengo defeated Botafogo—current Libertadores and Brasileirão champions—3-1, and the Campeonato Carioca.
At 8:30 PM local time (00:30 GMT Friday), Flamengo under Filipe Luis will make its international debut at Estadio Pueblo Nuevo in San Cristóbal. Although Gerson, Uruguayan Giorgian de Arrascaeta, and Ecuadorian Gonzalo Plata are unavailable, the squad still boasts attacking firepower with Bruno Henrique and Everton.
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