El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele will serve as one of the key advisors to Bolivia’s president-elect Rodrigo Paz Pereira on prison policy, according to recent statements from the incoming Bolivian leader. Paz confirmed that he spoke directly with Bukele after his electoral victory and expressed interest in replicating elements of El Salvador’s controversial security model.

In a televised interview with Bolivisión, Paz said: “He surprised me on the phone. He is a very frank, very direct person. I told him ‘help me with the prisons because we are going to need many here.’” The Bolivian president-elect also confirmed that Bukele is expected to attend his inauguration on November 8.

El Salvador has gained international attention for its state of exception, introduced by Bukele in March 2022 as a strategy against organized crime and gang activity. The emergency measure temporarily suspends certain constitutional guarantees, including the right to legal defense. The Salvadoran government credits the policy with dismantling gang strongholds and drastically reducing homicide rates.

Paz has said he intends to strengthen relations with democratic nations as El Salvador, for cooperation in areas such as security and institutional development. Another Bolivian candidate, Samuel Doria, also met with Bukele earlier this year, a meeting that drew widespread applause on social media.

The policy continues to enjoy strong domestic support in El Salvador and is increasingly used as a reference by other Latin American leaders seeking to combat organized crime.