Nayib Bukele: El Salvador's President - Journey, Ideas and Controversies

👤 Who is Nayib Bukele?

Nayib Bukele Ortez, born July 24, 1981 in San Salvador, has been President of the Republic of El Salvador since June 1, 2019. At 37 years old when elected, he became the youngest head of state in the Americas since 1985. He was re-elected in February 2024 with 84% of the vote.

He represents a historic break: he is the first president since the end of the civil war in 1992 not to represent either of El Salvador's two main political parties (ARENA and FMLN).

👨‍👩‍👧 Personal Life and Family

Family Origins

Nayib Bukele is the son of Olga Ortez and Armando Bukele Kattán, an influential businessman of Palestinian origin. The Bukele family emigrated from Jerusalem, Palestine, to Latin America in the early 20th century. His father was a prosperous entrepreneur who played an important role in El Salvador's community.

Marriage and Couple Life

Nayib Bukele has been married since 2014 to Gabriela Rodríguez de Bukele. The couple has known each other since adolescence and reconnected years later.

Gabriela Rodríguez de Bukele:

• Profession: Educator and trained psychologist, specializing in early childhood development
• Public role: First Lady active in social and educational programs
• Initiatives: Manages programs for children and families, particularly in preschool education
• Public presence: Regularly accompanies the president at official events and international trips
• Image: Appreciated for her modern style and commitment to social causes

Their Daughter Layla

The couple has a daughter, Layla Bukele, born in August 2019, a few months after Nayib Bukele's inauguration as president.

• Privacy protection: Parents voluntarily limit their daughter's media exposure
• Public appearances: Layla occasionally appears at official family events
• Education: The couple favors education away from media spotlight

Family Lifestyle

The Bukele family is known for maintaining a relatively accessible and modern image. Nayib Bukele occasionally shares family moments on social media while preserving his daughter's privacy. The couple forms a complementary team: him in direct political action, her in social and educational programs.

🏛️ Political Career

Beginnings with FMLN (Left)

Bukele entered politics in 2012 under the label of the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN), a left-wing party born from the former Marxist guerrilla:

• 2012-2015: Mayor of Nuevo Cuscatlán (small town)
• 2015-2018: Mayor of San Salvador (capital)

In 2017, he left the FMLN following internal conflicts.

Creation of New Ideas

In 2018, Bukele created his own party Nuevas Ideas (New Ideas).

2019 Election

He ran under the label of the Grand Alliance for National Unity (GANA) and won the presidential election in the first round with 53% of the vote on February 3, 2019.

2021 Legislative Elections

His party Nuevas Ideas won a supermajority in the Legislative Assembly, obtaining 56 of 84 seats.

2024 Re-election

He won the February 2024 election with 84% of the vote, historic popular support.

💡 Political Ideas and Positioning

Economic Orientation: Liberal

• Slogan: "There's enough money when nobody steals it"
• Focus on fighting corruption
• Opposed to tax increases
• Bitcoin: In 2021, made El Salvador the first country to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender

Social Orientation: Conservative

• Conservative positions on social issues
• Opposed to same-sex marriage
• Opposed to abortion (except if mother's life in danger)

Communication Style

• "Anti-system" and "modern" image
• Massive use of social media (millions of followers)
• Casual dress style: jeans, backwards caps
• Direct communication with the population

🛡️ Security Policy

Context

El Salvador was one of the most violent countries in the world before 2019, with a homicide rate of 105 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2015.

Territorial Control Plan (2019-2022)

Upon taking office, Bukele launched a security plan aimed at retaking territorial control from gangs (MS-13, Barrio 18).

State of Exception (March 2022 - Ongoing)

On March 27, 2022, following a wave of violence (87 murders in three days), Bukele declared a "state of exception" with emergency measures:

• Expanded powers for security forces
• Reinforced arrest measures against gang members
• Regularly renewed since 2022

Security Results

Prison Infrastructure

In January 2023, inauguration of the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) in Tecoluca, a maximum-security mega-prison that can hold 40,000 inmates.

🌎 International Relations

Relations with the United States

• Evolution of relations according to US administrations
• 2025: Rapprochement with Trump administration, White House visit in April 2025
• Migration issue: 2.5 million Salvadorans in the USA contribute significantly to Salvadoran economy (26% of GDP via remittances)

Regional Influence

The "Bukele model" in security matters attracts interest from several Latin American countries facing similar gang violence problems.

📊 Assessment and Debates

Recognized Successes

• Security: Drastic reduction in crime - El Salvador ranked Level 1 (safest) by US State Department in 2025
• Sense of security: Salvadorans can now move freely in areas once controlled by gangs
• Popularity: 85% approval rating in 2024, one of the highest in Latin America
• End of bipartisanship: Break with 30 years of ARENA-FMLN domination

Points of Debate

Bukele's policy raises several international debates:

• Human rights: International organizations question certain state of exception practices
• Security/freedoms balance: Debate on balance between security effectiveness and democratic guarantees
• Sustainability: Questions about long-term viability of security model
• Judicial independence: Discussions on evolution of Salvadoran judicial system

Economic Context

• Challenges: El Salvador faces economic challenges like many Central American countries
• Growth: Moderate growth in 2023 (1.6%)
• Poverty: Ongoing fight against poverty

💭 A President Who Divides Opinions

Nayib Bukele is undeniably one of the most prominent and controversial political figures in Latin America in 2025. For his supporters, he has restored security and dignity to a country ravaged by decades of violence. For his critics, his methods raise questions about the balance between security and fundamental freedoms.

What is undeniable: he has transformed El Salvador. The streets of San Salvador, once among the most dangerous in the world, are now among the safest in Latin America according to official statistics. The debate is about the price of this transformation and its sustainability.

Current status (November 2025): Nayib Bukele governs with a large parliamentary majority and massive popularity among the Salvadoran population. His model continues to inspire passionate debates both nationally and internationally.