Tesla CEO Elon Musk praised El Salvador President Nayib Bukele’s commitment to freedom of speech amid the controversial arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov in France. 

What happened: In a recent X post, Bukele pitched the Central American nation as one that protects civil liberties and does not jail or censor anyone for exercising their right to free speech.

His remarks were made in reference to the arrest of Telegram founder Pavel Durov in France over the weekend. 

Musk, who expressed shock and dismay at the arrest, cheered Bukele’s assurance on free speech, calling it “Awesome.”

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Why It Matters: El Salvador, under President Bukele, has made headlines because of its pioneering embrace of Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC), which was adopted as legal tender in the country in 2021. 

The pivot was part of a broader economic strategy to leverage the cryptocurrency’s potential for financial inclusion and boost economic growth in the country. 

But while the nation’s Bitcoin adoption has been noteworthy, its claims about ensuring freedom of speech remain questionable. 

El Salvador was ranked 133rd out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index 2024, down 18 places from the previous year’s rankings.

Reporters Without Borders, which publishes these annual reports, states on its website, “Since taking office in June 2019, President Nayib Bukele has attacked and threatened journalists critical of his government.” 

Image via Shutterstock

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