I so want this to work. As a bitcoiner the excitement generated over the past year, and the future possibilities are fantastic. At the same time, Bukele scares me. Listening to him sometimes reminds me of the old Woody Allen comedy Bananas. I listen to Max and Stacy, and I have mixed feelings about them too. They have basically walked into the country with their bitcoin money and have gained access to the President to the point where they're practically cabinet members. I have taken the time to talk to a few Salvadorans both on the internet and expats here in the US. Almost all the expats I run into support Bukele, not because of bitcoin, but because they love how he's controlling crime and improving infrastructure. Italians were also impressed with Mussolini because the trains ran on time. There are legitimate questions about Bukele dismissing the Supreme Court and even the fact that he's seeking a second term. I trust Alex Gladstein, and if he's concerned, so am I.

For all the talk about free markets and so on i heard on the twitter spaces back when the bitcoin law was being voted on, they sure have taken their time to deregulate and reduce taxation :) In fact El Salvador government has been spending alot of money instead, on prestige projects for lack of a better term. So, wether its authotarian or not? El Salvador government is acting like any other government. Spend, Spend, Spend, Tax, Tax, Tax, Regulate, Regulate, Regulate. And its a path to poverty, despite what they say.