El Salvador and its president, Nayib Bukele, are stacking up the wins lately. The latest one comes as part of the Western Hemisphere's war against organized crime and narco-terrorism.
Bukele announced on X on Monday that "Our National Navy has carried out the largest drug seizure in the history of El Salvador."
Here's more:
At 380 nautical miles (703.7 kilometers) southwest of our coasts, the Multi-Purpose Support Vessel (supply vessel/tug) FMS EAGLE was intercepted. The vessel is 180 feet long (54 meters), registered under the flag of Tanzania, Africa, and was carrying in hidden compartments 330 packages equivalent to 6.6 tons of cocaine, with an approximate value of $165 million dollars.
To locate the drug, which was concealed in ballast tanks, divers from our National Navy were deployed. They conducted the inspection that confirmed the concealment and proceeded with its seizure.
Bukele said there were 10 drug traffickers on board, including four Colombians, three Nicaraguans, two Panamanians, and one Ecuadorian. He called it another "major blow to drug trafficking" and added: "By the way, thanks for the new boat."
Here's the post. It's in Spanish, but it's got some cool pictures and video.
Nuestra Marina Nacional ha realizado la incautación de droga más grande en la historia de El Salvador.
— Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) February 16, 2026
A 380 millas náuticas (703.7 kilómetros) al suroeste de nuestras costas, se interceptó el Buque de Apoyo Multipropósito (supply vessel/tug) FMS EAGLE, de 180 pies de eslora (54… pic.twitter.com/1sRcsGz7dZ
Donald Trump's drug czar, Sara A. Carter, congratulated Bukele and called it a "a win for the Western Hemisphere and the world!"
HUGE DRUG BUST … the biggest in El Salvador’s National Navy. Congratulations @nayibbukele
— Sara A. Carter (@SaraCarterDC) February 16, 2026
This is a win for the Western Hemisphere and the world!
“Seven hundred and three point seven kilometers southwest of our shores, the multi-purpose support vessel FMS Eagle was… https://t.co/RwoHvEncXV
As I said, El Salvador is stacking up wins lately. A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about the public school season starting in the country, where every student received a box of new school supplies, including laptops and tablets. Many of them even attended brand-new schools, paid for through private partnerships and the removal of corrupt government figures who had been pocketing money that was supposed to go toward education. Prisoners in rehabilitation programs also helped with the physical labor involved.
Something else I meant to write about last week but totally forgot is that on February 11, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) President Ilan Goldfajn announced that the IDB will deliver $1.3 billion in financing to the country in 2026. The money will go toward the housing, tourism, health, and education sectors, according to Bukele, all of which are exploding due to his famous crackdown on crime. It's expected to help bring many jobs to the Salvadoran people. It just goes to show that people want to invest in safe countries.
People also want to travel to safe countries. This past week, the singer Shakira did a five-night residency, playing sold-out concerts in San Salvador. Hotels in the area were reportedly at capacity, and the tourism impact was expected to bring in at least $55 million. Bukele has promoted the event heavily on social media, hoping to continue boosting his country's image.
A man who was there from Costa Rica for the concerts told the Associated Press, "It’s our first time in El Salvador, but we are going to return because El Salvador and its security are fashionable now."
His wife added, "We’re amazed by the security, it’s true what they say and you have to see it."
I'm actually considering a stop in El Salvador myself later this year.
Finally, I think I've mentioned this, but Peru has elections coming up in a few weeks, and a reader wrote to me and told me that there are more Bukele posters on the streets than there are posters for the actual candidates. And if you ask many of the voters in the countries that are making that big Latin American rightward swing lately, they say they want a Bukele-style president to come in and clean up the crime and corruption in their countries. It's a major reason why Chile, Costa Rica, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Honduras, to name a few, have voted the way they have over the past year.
But it's not just posters. Carnival is currently in full-swing in Latin America on Monday, and people are taking to the streets for the festival to march and dance in parades. In Peru, I've actually seen several Bukele displays as part of these celebrations. I'm not sure if there's a bigger sign that a country is winning than that.
Carnaval en Celendín, Cajamarca, Perú 🇵🇪 pic.twitter.com/lQnOQULi5f
— Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) February 17, 2026
Want to support conservative media? You can do so by becoming a PJ Media VIP member. It's less than $20 for the entire year, and you get some cool perks too. We'll see you in the comments section!
Join the conversation as a VIP Member