Nayib Bukele facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nayib Bukele
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Official portrait, 2019
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| 43rd President of El Salvador | |
| Assumed office 1 June 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Salvador Sánchez Cerén |
| 125th Mayor of San Salvador | |
| In office 1 May 2015 – 30 April 2018 |
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| Preceded by | Norman Quijano |
| Succeeded by | Ernesto Muyshondt |
| Mayor of Nuevo Cuscatlán | |
| In office 1 May 2012 – 30 April 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Álvaro Rodríguez |
| Succeeded by | Michelle Sol |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Nayib Armando Bukele Ortez
24 July 1981 San Salvador, El Salvador |
| Political party | Nuevas Ideas (since 2017) |
| Spouse |
Gabriela Rodríguez
(m. 2014) |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent |
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| Education | Central American University (no degree) |
| Occupation |
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| Cabinet | Cabinet of Nayib Bukele |
| Signature |  |
Nayib Armando Bukele Ortez is a Salvadoran leader and businessman. He serves as the 43rd president of El Salvador. He took office in June 2019. Bukele became well known around the world for his modern style. He uses social media to talk to people directly.
Before becoming president, he worked as a business manager in advertising. He entered public life in 2012. He was elected as the mayor of Nuevo Cuscatlán. Later, he served as the Mayor of San Salvador, the capital city. In 2017, he started his own movement called Nuevas Ideas. He won the 2019 presidential election with the Grand Alliance for National Unity party.
As president, Bukele focused heavily on making cities safer for families. He also introduced modern technology to the local economy. In 2021, he made bitcoin an official currency alongside the United States dollar. He won re-election during the 2024 presidential election by a very large margin.
Contents
Early Life and Growing Up in San Salvador
Nayib Bukele was born on 24 July 1981 in San Salvador, El Salvador. His father was Armando Bukele Kattán, a chemist and businessman. His mother is Olga Marina Ortez. Bukele has three younger brothers named Karim, Yusef, and Ibrajim. He also has several half-siblings.
Bukele's family background comes from different parts of the world. His paternal grandparents were Palestinian Christians from Jerusalem and Bethlehem. They moved to El Salvador in 1921. His maternal grandfather belonged to the Greek Orthodox Church, and his grandmother was Catholic. His father later practiced Islam as an imam. This background gave Bukele an appreciation for different cultures.
Bukele attended school at the Escuela Panamericana in San Salvador. He completed his secondary studies in 1999. After high school, he attended the Central American University. He wanted to study legal sciences to become a lawyer. Bukele chose to leave university early to join the business world.
He began working at an advertising agency owned by his father. Bukele founded his own marketing company called Obermet in 1999. He ran creative campaigns for major brands and political groups. Between 2009 and 2012, he served as president of a company selling Yamaha products. These business experiences taught him how to communicate clearly with large audiences.
Early Public Service Career
Mayor of Nuevo Cuscatlán
In 2011, Bukele chose to enter community service. He joined the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front party. He ran for mayor of Nuevo Cuscatlán in La Libertad. This small municipality is near San Salvador. He won the local election in March 2012. He became the youngest mayor in the country at age thirty.
As mayor, Bukele donated his official salary to pay for student scholarships. He wanted young people to stay in school and learn new skills. In 2014, he started a project that launched a high-altitude balloon. The balloon reached high into the sky to photograph the land. He wanted students to get excited about science and modern technology.
Bukele worked to build modern infrastructure in the town. He opened a new roadway linking Nuevo Cuscatlán with Huizúcar and Antiguo Cuscatlán. In November 2014, he traveled to the United Nations headquarters. He spoke during World Cities Day about how small towns can improve life.
Mayor of San Salvador
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In August 2014, Bukele announced he would run for mayor of San Salvador. His party supported his choice to lead the capital city. His campaign used positive slogans like "together we will go forward." He won the election in March 2015 against Edwin Zamora. He took office on 1 May 2015.
Bukele started a major project to clean up the historic downtown area. He replaced older street lighting with bright lights across every neighborhood. He set up safety cameras to protect shoppers and pedestrians. He built the Cuscatlán Market so that each street vendor had a safe indoor stall.
He also remodeled the historic public square called Gerardo Barrios Plaza. He created new public parks and updated older primary schools. Bukele signed an agreement with the Spanish National League of Professional Football. This partnership created youth sports leagues to give children fun activities after school.
Bukele traveled internationally to build positive relationships for San Salvador. He formed a sister city partnership with Panama City through Mayor José Blandón. He visited Washington, D.C. to talk with Mayor Muriel Bowser. He received the keys to the city of Gaithersburg, Maryland. In 2017, he traveled to Taipei to meet President Tsai Ing-wen. Later, he visited Jerusalem and prayed at the ancient Western Wall.
Path to the Presidency
Creating a New Movement
During his time as mayor, Bukele often disagreed with traditional party leaders. He felt older political groups did not listen to young Salvadorans. In October 2017, the party removed him from their organization. Bukele decided to run as an independent politician for the highest office.
On 25 October 2017, Bukele announced a new political movement named Nuevas Ideas. Thousands of volunteers gathered signatures to register the group. Bukele connected directly with voters using Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Many video creators and young volunteers supported his message online.
To run in the presidential race, Bukele partnered with the Grand Alliance for National Unity party. He chose legal scholar Félix Ulloa as his running mate for vice president. Bukele promised to modernize public transportation, build new train systems, and create jobs. He also pledged to stop unfair use of government funds.
The 2019 Election Victory
The election took place on 3 February 2019. Bukele ran against several experienced candidates. His opponents included businessman Carlos Calleja and diplomat Hugo Martínez. Bukele led in public opinion surveys throughout the campaign season.
Bukele won the election on the first vote with over 53 percent. His victory broke thirty years of two-party rule in El Salvador. Leaders from earlier decades like José Napoleón Duarte had represented traditional parties. Bukele became the youngest elected leader in modern Salvadoran history at age 37.
Presidency of El Salvador
First Term and Inauguration
Bukele was sworn in on 1 June 2019 at the historic National Palace. He held the ceremony outdoors so everyday citizens could watch. He appointed a sixteen-member cabinet with equal numbers of men and women. His team began working on public safety and economic growth.
Bukele launched the Territorial Control Plan in July 2019. The plan sent police officers and military patrols into neighborhood centers. Its goal was to restore peace to communities that had suffered from high crime. Within his first year, the national crime rate dropped by half.
Challenges with the Legislature
In early 2020, Bukele asked lawmakers for a loan from the Central American Bank for Economic Integration. The funds were planned for new security vehicles and equipment. The Legislative Assembly delayed voting on the proposal. On 9 February 2020, Bukele brought soldiers into the assembly hall during an extraordinary meeting. Opponents criticized this move, saying it placed too much pressure on lawmakers.
Voters went to the polls in the 2021 legislative election. Bukele's party, Nuevas Ideas, won a huge supermajority of seats. On their first day in office, the new assembly voted to replace the attorney general. They also replaced justices in the constitutional chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice. These changes gave Bukele strong support within all branches of government.
Responding to the Global Health Crisis
In early 2020, the World Health Organization announced the COVID-19 pandemic. Bukele acted quickly to protect public health. He closed schools and paused international travel to slow down infections. The government established nationwide health rules to keep people safe at home.
Bukele converted a large convention center into the Hospital El Salvador. This modern medical facility became one of the largest specialized treatment centers in the region. It featured hundreds of intensive care beds and advanced breathing machines. The United States and China donated supplies and vaccines to help protect citizens.
El Salvador secured enough medicine to help neighboring countries as well. In May 2021, Bukele donated thousands of vaccine doses to towns in Honduras. Local mayors in Honduras had asked for help when supplies were low. By 2023, health agencies confirmed that emergency measures had successfully protected the population.
Digital Currency and Economic Growth
Bukele believed that modern digital technology could help families without traditional bank accounts. In June 2021, he proposed making bitcoin official money alongside the dollar. The legislature passed the measure, making El Salvador the first country to do so. A company set up specialized cash machines across the country.
Bukele shared plans to create Bitcoin City near the Conchagua volcano in La Unión. The plan involved using natural geothermal energy from the earth to power digital computers. The city plan included zero local emissions and an international airport designed by Fernando Romero.
The government purchased digital currency reserves as an investment. Bukele reported profits when digital asset markets grew in value. Later on, international groups like the International Monetary Fund recommended adjustments to currency rules. In early 2025, the country updated regulations so businesses could choose which payment methods to accept. Private investment grew substantially, and the economy expanded.
Bukele introduced a multi-step economic plan to create jobs. The plan improved ports at Acajutla and La Unión with help from international partners. It also created new technological centers to train workers. In late 2024, El Salvador arranged a major financial plan with J.P. Morgan & Co. to protect water resources around the Lempa River.
Community Safety and Crime Reduction
Before 2019, El Salvador had struggled with community safety for decades. In March 2022, Bukele began a nationwide security operation to restore public order. Security forces patrolled neighborhoods and detained individuals associated with illegal street gangs.
By late 2024, tens of thousands of suspected gang members were removed from neighborhood streets. Many families celebrated the return of peaceful streets, open parks, and lively evening markets. Neighborhoods that were once dangerous became safe for children to walk to school.
International monitoring groups like Human Rights Watch expressed concerns about legal protections. They wanted to ensure every person received a fair court hearing. Bukele argued that restoring peace was essential for human rights and safety. He maintained extremely high popularity, earning an average approval rating of 88.6% among citizens.
Government Reorganization
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Bukele believed the nation had too many separate local government offices for its size. In June 2023, he proposed reducing the number of municipalities from 262 down to 44. The older towns became local districts to preserve their cultural traditions.
He also asked lawmakers to reduce the number of assembly seats from 84 to 60. Bukele explained that the smaller number was more efficient and saved taxpayer money. The Legislative Assembly approved both plans in June 2023. These changes took full effect on 1 May 2024.
2024 Re-election and Second Term
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In September 2021, the Supreme Court ruled that a sitting leader could seek a second term. Bukele announced his candidacy during national independence celebrations in September 2022. Opponents argued about constitutional rules, but the electoral court approved his candidacy.
During the election of February 2024, Bukele ran against candidates like Manuel Flores. Bukele achieved a landslide victory, winning nearly 85 percent of the national vote. His party retained strong leadership in the national assembly and won almost all local councils.
Bukele took the oath of office for his second term on 1 June 2024. The ceremony featured marching bands from the Armed Forces of El Salvador. Bukele wore a formal jacket inspired by South American liberator Simón Bolívar. He stated his second term would focus on expanding businesses and creating new opportunities for families.
World Affairs and International Relations
Partnership with the United States
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Bukele worked closely with American leaders on regional safety and immigration. In 2019, he met with President Donald Trump to discuss trade and worker programs. He encouraged policies that helped Salvadoran families work legally while building opportunities at home.
During the administration of President Joe Biden, relations faced occasional disagreements. Some American officials questioned changes to the Salvadoran court system. Other leaders, including congressmen Tom Cotton, Matt Gaetz, and Marco Rubio, praised Bukele's safety policies.
During the second Trump administration, cooperation grew stronger. Bukele met with Secretary of State Rubio in early 2025 to discuss security partnerships. Bukele also visited the Oval Office to discuss economic growth and regional stability.
Cooperation with China
In December 2019, Bukele visited Beijing to meet Xi Jinping. The two nations agreed to cooperate on modern public construction projects. China provided grants to build the modern National Library of El Salvador, which opened in late 2023. The facility gives students access to thousands of digital books and learning tools.
Construction also began on the new National Stadium of El Salvador. The modern sports venue provides space for international soccer matches and athletic events. In late 2022, both nations opened talks to increase free trade for agricultural products.
Regional and Global Diplomacy
Bukele took strong positions on governance across the Americas. During the Venezuelan presidential crisis, he recognized Juan Guaidó instead of Nicolás Maduro. Bukele called for fair elections across the region and criticized authoritarian governments.
Bukele strongly supports Central American reunification. This idea encourages neighbor nations like Guatemala, Honduras, and Costa Rica to work together closely. Bukele served as head of the Central American Integration System in 2019. He signed agreements with Guatemala to simplify border crossings and increase regional tourism.
He offered assistance to help restore order during the Gang war in Haiti. Salvadoran security personnel joined the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti in early 2025 to help protect communities. In March 2026, Bukele joined other leaders in Miami for the Shield of the Americas conference.
Personal Life
Bukele married Gabriela Rodríguez in December 2014. She is an educator and psychologist who works to support early childhood education. The couple has two young daughters, born in 2019 and 2023.
Bukele owns a family coffee plantation. In July 2024, he started a coffee brand called Bean of Fire. He donated coffee beans to local cafes to support small businesses. His business projects have made his family active agricultural producers in the country.
Bukele often speaks about personal faith in his speeches. He reads passages from the Bible and has expressed deep respect for Óscar Romero, the beloved Salvadoran archbishop. In 2015, he had a private meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican to discuss community peace.
Electoral History
| Year | Office | Party | Main Opponent | Opponent Party | Votes | % | Result |
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| 2012 | Mayor of Nuevo Cuscatlán | FMLN | Tomás Rodríguez | ARENA | 2,862 | 51.67 | Won |
| 2015 | Mayor of San Salvador | FMLN | Edwin Zamora | ARENA | 89,164 | 50.38 | Won |
| 2019 | President of El Salvador | GANA | Carlos Calleja | ARENA | 1,434,856 | 53.10 | Won |
| 2024 | President of El Salvador | NI | Manuel Flores | FMLN | 2,701,725 | 84.65 | Won |
See also
In Spanish: Nayib Bukele para niños
Images for kids
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Bukele and architect Fernando Romero reviewing models
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Bukele with U.S. President Donald Trump
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Bukele meeting with Argentine president Javier Milei
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Receiving an award from Costa Rican president Rodrigo Chaves Robles
