Amid an increasingly hostile global context for freedom of expression, El Salvador is emerging as a potential haven for those seeking to protect their rights, according to Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino. Ardoino suggests that El Salvador could become the new bastion of freedom in a world where countries like those in Europe, once the cradle of democracy, seem to be “regressing into darkness.” The Tether executive issued this message in response to a post by the president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, on the social network X. Bukele claims that El Salvador “is the safest country in the Western Hemisphere” and guarantees that no one will arrest, censor or confiscate property for exercising the right to freedom of expression. In addition, he highlights that in El Salvador there is no property tax, reinforcing the country's image as an attractive place for those who value freedom.
Post by Nayib Bukele on the X network. Source: X. El Salvador stands out in the world for being the first country to adopt bitcoin (BTC), making it legal tender in 2021. With BTC, Salvadorans access an asset outside the control of the State and resistant to censorshipHowever, the picture is not as clear as it seems. Despite Bukele's statements, his government faces criticism for human rights violations, especially after implementing the state of emergency in 2022. Until February 2024, victim movements, Human rights organizations and media outlets recorded 327 cases of forced disappearancesmore than 78,000 arbitrary arrests, 148% prison overcrowding and at least 235 deaths in state custody, according to Amnesty International. The arrest of Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of Telegram, in France appears to be the answer. Durov faces multiple charges, including terrorism, drug trafficking, fraud and money laundering.. French Justice argues that Telegram's lack of moderation and cooperation with law enforcementas well as the tools offered by the application, make it an accomplice to serious crimes such as drug trafficking, crimes against minors and fraud, as reported by BitcoinDynamic. In this context, the promotion of El Salvador as a country for freedom becomes more relevant. As individual freedoms are threatened in other parts of the world, the words of the CEO of Tether and the statements of Bukele could appeal to those seeking an environment where their rights are respected and protectedHowever, criticism of the Salvadoran government suggests that the situation is more complex and requires in-depth analysis to understand whether El Salvador can really be considered a true haven for freedom.