Maluma Praises Bukele During His Latest Concert Yet His Words Collide With Concerns About El Salvador’s Democracy

Colombian singer Maluma brought his world tour to San Salvador and during his performance he praised what he described as a transformed nation, comments that immediately stirred debate that stretched far outside the boundaries of music. His concert at the Jorge Mágico González Stadium on August 23 became both a celebration for thousands of fans and a moment that revealed how closely politics and culture are intertwined in today’s El Salvador.

Maluma Uses His Stage to Praise a Political Figure

As part of his +Pretty +Dirty World Tour, Maluma paused to address the crowd and said, “as a Colombian, we have so much to learn from the brother country of El Salvador.” He went on to describe the mood he felt upon arriving, pointing to the order of the streets, the friendliness of the people, and the energy of the city. He added, “I am very happy about the situation the country of El Salvador is going through. Congratulations. Since I arrived, the energy of the place feels beautiful, it feels incredible, the streets are clean, the people are loving and affectionate.”

His words took on added weight because he appeared on stage with most of his tattoos covered, something rare for him and interpreted by many as a gesture in line with the government’s association of tattoos with criminality. What could have been an artistic decision became a reflection of the larger conversation about El Salvador’s current direction, where admiration for order collides with accusations of abuses and repression.

Constitutional Change and Unlimited Power

Days before the concert, El Salvador’s Congress approved a constitutional reform that allows Bukele to run for the presidency indefinitely. The reform also lengthened presidential terms from five to six years and eliminated the second round of voting, consolidating power in ways that diminish electoral safeguards. With 57 out of 60 legislators voting in favor, almost all of them belonging to his Nuevas Ideas party, the change advanced swiftly.

Political observers warned that the reform marked a decisive turn for El Salvador, placing it on a path where democratic institutions are weakened and the executive consolidates unchecked authority. History in the region has repeatedly shown that indefinite re-election creates systems where rulers extend their mandates while restricting liberties, reshaping constitutions to serve personal power rather than public accountability. For El Salvador, a country that has already struggled to maintain strong institutions, this decision is widely regarded as the most serious step toward authoritarian rule since the end of its civil war.

CECOT and the Debate Over Human Rights

Alongside these constitutional changes stands the construction and operation of the Center for Confinement of Terrorism, known as CECOT, a sprawling mega prison that has become one of Bukele’s most visible projects. Promoted by the government as a facility designed to house tens of thousands of alleged gang members, the prison has been presented as a solution to decades of violence. Yet human rights groups have described it as a place where the dignity of detainees is systematically denied.

Reports from international organizations point to cells packed with people, insufficient medical care, and limited access to food and water. Journalists who have visited describe lights kept on around the clock, prisoners confined for long hours without sunlight, and families left without information about relatives who have been transferred inside. For critics, CECOT embodies the risks of a security model that sacrifices due process and basic rights in exchange for the appearance of control. Supporters continue to hail the project as a victory against gangs, but the question remains whether safety gained through such measures is sustainable or whether it is instead the sign of a government willing to strip citizens of protections in the name of order.

The debate over CECOT illustrates the larger contradiction in El Salvador today. While the government insists it is building a safer society, the methods used have drawn condemnation from human rights defenders who argue that security policies are masking a deeper erosion of freedoms.

Celebrity Influence and Political Echoes

Maluma’s comments landed in the middle of this environment, and in Colombia critics immediately recalled his silence during other governments while questioning why he chose this moment to praise a leader accused of eroding democracy. Speculation grew about whether Bukele’s reach now extends into cultural events, using concerts and sports to reinforce a narrative of progress.

The singer has also faced scrutiny during his tour for separate incidents, such as his decision in Mexico City to call out a mother who had brought her baby without hearing protection. “Do you think it is a good idea to bring a one-year-old baby?” he asked from the stage, words that reflected his own experience as a new father after the birth of his daughter Paris earlier this year.

A Moment That Raises Larger Questions

For some fans in San Salvador, Maluma’s words offered pride, but for others they symbolized how easily international figures can lend legitimacy to a leader reshaping the constitution for indefinite power. The cheers that filled the stadium reflected admiration for the artist, yet behind those sounds stood the reality of a government building mega prisons and extending mandates indefinitely.

The night in San Salvador was about music, but it became part of a much larger story about a country moving toward authoritarianism under the cover of order and discipline. History has shown the dangers of such projects, where governments promise security but instead leave behind generations deprived of rights. Maluma may have spoken of energy and beauty, but the future that awaits El Salvador is one that raises urgent questions about how long those words can mask the cost of unchecked power.