Hola Mi Nuevo Amigo, El Salvador

Excited to witness the transformation first hand. #thankful to land in the future, El Salvador.

This is a tweet from Macroscope prior to #bukele winning a historical election that had the most engagement of any global #democracy.

Last week, I flew from New York's JFK Airport to El Salvador. Here's what happened during my trip.Because of Bitcoin, I've been reading about the country and decided to visit. More on Bitcoin in a minute. I'll also comment on the topic of safety. First, here's a takeaway from what I saw:If I was an investor looking internationally for on-the-ground opportunities, I would immediately get an office in the capital, San Salvador, and look for ways to put money in the country -- by either starting a new business and employing Salvadorans, or backing an existing business. Multiple sectors are growing fast including tourism, hospitality and real estate. The opportunities seem huge.

I stayed a week in San Salvador and in El Zonte ("Bitcoin Beach"). The first impression is at the airport, which is modern and efficient. Because of a delay in New York, my flight arrived in El Salvador a few hours late. But my hotel driver was there. He had been patiently keeping watch for me, and he was smiling as he held up a sign with my name on it. This was my introduction to the country, and it turned out to be representative of what I would experience during my visit. The people are friendly, hard working, proud, entrepreneurial, and family-oriented.You quickly notice that new construction and infrastructure improvements are happening everywhere. I was struck by how the construction workers seemed to be working very hard.

You get the sense that this is a country on the move, and it's easy to see why El Salvador's financial situation has improved. The country's sovereign bonds have seen huge returns recently, and institutional investors should continue to watch for opportunities to allocate here.

The goal in El Salvador seems to be a Latin American version of Singapore: business-friendly, growth-oriented, and tough on crime. Based on what I saw during my visit, this is achievable and they are making progress. Remember, Singapore wasn't always the type of country it is now -- far from it, in fact. It first needed the right policies and leadership. And by the way, I don't remember seeing the international media criticize Singapore for being tough on crime.Regarding safety, I felt totally safe and relaxed at all times in El Salvador -- much safer than even the best areas of New York City these days. The police and private security guards are everywhere and they are professional, courteous, vigilant and tough. You do not want to be a criminal here. But it was not always this way. I had an interesting conversation with a young man working in a small shop. He said before the crackdown on gangs, much of the money he earned had to be paid to the bad guys, so it was almost pointless to own or start a business. I asked him where the gang members are now. His reply: "Dead or in jail."

During this trip, I developed a special contempt for people in North America and elsewhere who scold other countries for cleaning up crime while their own cities collapse around them.If there is something to keep an eye on, it's that President Bukele and his "new ideas" policies are clearly very important for continued progress. Bukele is hugely popular and viewed by many as a national hero, so it seems assured that the current progress will continue after the upcoming election.

El Salvador's continued stability and future prosperity is important for the United States, and as a U.S. citizen I believe we should be doing everything possible to be a strong ally and support the country's current direction.

*read the full tweet*

As someone who remembers the news headlines about El Salvador going back 40 years, I never imagined myself making this trip, and it felt a bit surreal to be there. But what's happening is not only a national transformation, it's a story about human perseverance and triumph despite a tough history. We should be cheering them on.

I look forward to returning.

#Bukele #serveall #ai #elsalvador #bitcoin #spatialweb #leapfrog #shiftthegame #theconspiracy #bitcoinbeach #freedom #ThankYou