In 2021, El Salvador made history by becoming the first country in the world to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender. But behind this controversial decision, profound questions arise: Was Bitcoin chosen as a plan to liberalize the economy? Or as a political tool in the hands of a president with unprecedented influence? To obtain advertising services for crypto projects.

From Civil War to Cryptocurrency: The Context of a Decision That Hasn't Changed Much

El Salvador, a country long known as one of the most dangerous in the world, has suffered for decades from gang violence and government corruption. Amid this chaos, the name of Nayib Bukele emerged, the young politician elected president in 2019 with 53% of the vote, with the slogan of fighting crime and restoring security.

In 2022, Bukele declared a state of emergency that remains in effect today, and more than 80,000 people were arrested for gang affiliation. This campaign, while effective in restoring security, sparked a wave of international criticism regarding human rights.

Against this backdrop, Bukele announced the adoption of Bitcoin as the official currency, a shocking and unprecedented decision that was quickly passed by Parliament without any real public or institutional debate.

On the Ground: Contrasting Stories and Testimonies from the Heart of El Salvador

From the capital, San Salvador, to rural areas like El Zonte and Berlin, communities are beginning to use Bitcoin in their daily lives. Bitcoin has become a means of payment for ordinary citizens and businesspeople. But lawmakers, such as Claudia Ortiz, a prominent opponent of Bukele, consider the law an "authoritarian impulse" that fails to take into account the reality of citizens.

Some see Bitcoin as a tool for economic freedom that allows for rapid transfers without intermediaries, especially in a country that relies heavily on expatriate remittances. But others have expressed confusion at the complexity of the technology and the difficulty of understanding the new system in a society that still suffers from high rates of financial illiteracy.