Nayib Bukele facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nayib Bukele
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Official portrait, 2019
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| 81st President of El Salvador | |
| Assumed office 1 June 2019 |
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| Vice President | Félix Ulloa |
| Preceded by | Salvador Sánchez Cerén |
| 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) |
| Other political affiliations |
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| Spouse |
Gabriela Rodríguez
(m. 2014) |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent |
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| Education | Central American University (no degree) |
| Occupation | Politician, businessman |
| Cabinet | Cabinet of Nayib Bukele |
| Signature |  |
Nayib Armando Bukele Ortez (born 24 July 1981) is a Salvadoran politician and businessman. He has been the 81st and current president of El Salvador since 1 June 2019.
Bukele started an advertising company in 1999. He also worked at his father's advertising company. Both companies helped with election campaigns for the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) political party. Bukele got involved in politics in 2011. The next year, he joined the FMLN and became the mayor of Nuevo Cuscatlán.
He served as mayor until 2015, when he was elected mayor of San Salvador, the capital city. He stayed in this role until 2018. In 2017, Bukele was removed from the FMLN party. Soon after, he started his own political party called Nuevas Ideas (New Ideas). He then decided to run for president in 2019.
The Supreme Electoral Court did not allow his new party to register for the election. So, Bukele ran for president with the Grand Alliance for National Unity (GANA) party. He won the election with 53 percent of the votes.
As president, Bukele started the Territorial Control Plan in July 2019. This plan aimed to lower the number of murders in El Salvador. Murders dropped by half during his first year. In March 2022, after 87 people were killed by gangs in one weekend, Bukele began a big nationwide effort against gangs. By December 2024, over 83,900 people thought to be linked to gangs were arrested. The murder rate in El Salvador became one of the lowest in the Americas.
In 2021, Bukele passed a law making bitcoin legal money in El Salvador. He also wants to build a city called Bitcoin City. In 2023, the Legislative Assembly approved his ideas to reduce the number of towns (municipalities) from 262 to 44. They also cut the number of seats in the legislature from 84 to 60. He ran for re-election in 2024 and won with 85 percent of the votes. This happened after the Supreme Court changed how it understood the constitution's rule about presidents serving more than one term in a row.
Some politicians, activists, and journalists have said Bukele's way of governing is too strong or like a dictator. In February 2020, Bukele sent soldiers into the Legislative Assembly building. This was to pressure lawmakers to approve a loan for his security plan. After his party, Nuevas Ideas, won many seats in the 2021 election, his allies in the legislature replaced the country's top lawyer and all five judges of the Supreme Court. Bukele has also criticized journalists and news groups online. He has been accused of trying to control the news.
Before becoming president, Bukele said he was part of the "radical left." But now, he doesn't identify with any single political idea. Experts often describe him as a populist (someone who appeals to ordinary people) and a conservative. Bukele is very popular in El Salvador and in other parts of Latin America.
Contents
Early Life and Business Career
Nayib Armando Bukele Ortez was born on 24 July 1981 in San Salvador, El Salvador. His father, Armando Bukele Kattán, was a businessman. His mother is Olga Marina Ortez. Nayib was their first child. He has three younger brothers and other half-siblings. His family background includes people from different faiths.
Bukele finished high school in 1999. He started studying law at the Central American University. But he left college to work for an advertising company owned by his father. This company worked on political campaigns for the FMLN party.
In 1999, Bukele started his own marketing company called Obermet. He was its president for several years. This company also created political ads for FMLN presidential campaigns. He also led other companies, including one that sold Yamaha products in El Salvador. He described himself as a "businessman with a great future."
Early Political Career
Mayor of Nuevo Cuscatlán
On 11 March 2012, Bukele was elected mayor of Nuevo Cuscatlán. He represented a group of parties, including the FMLN. He won with 50.68% of the votes. He started his term on 1 May 2012.
As mayor, he donated his salary to help young people in Nuevo Cuscatlán get scholarships. He also opened a new road connecting Nuevo Cuscatlán with other towns. He used money from an oil company linked to Venezuela for many of his projects.
Mayor of San Salvador
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In the 2015 elections, Bukele became the mayor of San Salvador, the capital city. He won with 50.37% of the votes. He took office on 1 May 2015.
As mayor, he changed the names of two streets back to their original names. He also started a project to move street vendors, which was popular. He built the Cuscatlán Market and San Salvador's first public library.
In February 2017, Bukele visited Taipei, the capital of Taiwan. He met with the Taiwanese President to strengthen ties between the two cities. In February 2018, he attended a mayors' conference in Jerusalem. He was seen praying at the Western Wall. Towards the end of his term, he improved the historic center of San Salvador. This included fixing roads and buildings.
Expulsion from the FMLN
On 10 October 2017, Bukele was removed from the FMLN party. The party accused him of causing problems and criticizing party members. Bukele did not attend the hearing, saying the process was unfair. After Bukele's removal, the FMLN lost many local elections and legislative seats in 2018. Some experts believe this was partly because Bukele was no longer with the party.
Election as President
After leaving the FMLN, Bukele wanted to run for president as an independent. He aimed to create his own party, Nuevas Ideas ("New Ideas"). This would allow him to run for president of El Salvador.
Both the FMLN and another major party, ARENA, tried to stop him. They blocked his attempts to form a new party. They also tried to prevent him from using other parties for his campaign. Eventually, the Supreme Electoral Court stopped his party from being registered. Bukele then joined the center-right Grand Alliance for National Unity (GANA) party to run for president.
On 3 February 2019, Bukele announced he had won the presidential elections. He won with 53 percent of the votes. This meant there was no need for a second round of voting. He was the first candidate since the Salvadoran Civil War to win without being from one of the two main parties. He said, "Today we have turned the page on the postwar period."
Presidency
Inaugurations
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Bukele's first presidential inauguration was on 1 June 2019. He became the 81st president of El Salvador. At 37, he was also the country's youngest president. He held the ceremony at the National Palace. This was to show that his presidency would focus on the people. His supporters cheered for him and booed the lawmakers. He announced a cabinet of sixteen people, with eight men and eight women.
His second inauguration was on 1 June 2024, also at the National Palace. The Armed Forces of El Salvador (FAES) held a military parade. Bukele wore a special jacket to look like a famous leader, Simón Bolívar. He called his second inauguration "the most important moment in our recent history."
Political Changes
In November 2019, Bukele wanted a $109 million loan for his security plan. The legislature, controlled by other parties, asked for more time to review it. On 6 February 2020, Bukele called for an emergency meeting of the Legislative Assembly. He also asked his supporters to gather outside the building. On 9 February, Bukele sent soldiers into the assembly room. This was to encourage lawmakers to approve the loan. However, not enough lawmakers were present, and the loan was not approved. This event is known as "9F" or "El Bukelazo."
In the 2021 legislative elections, Bukele's party, Nuevas Ideas, won many seats. On 1 May 2021, his party and its allies voted to remove the five judges of the Supreme Court and the Attorney General. They were replaced by people who supported Bukele. This event, known as "1M," was seen by some as a "power grab." The United States also criticized these actions.
COVID-19 Pandemic Response
The first case of COVID-19 in El Salvador was found on 19 March 2020. On 21 March 2020, Bukele ordered a nationwide lockdown for 30 days. During this time, many people were arrested for breaking the lockdown rules. Human rights groups criticized these arrests.
On 22 June 2020, Bukele opened the Hospital El Salvador. This was the largest hospital in Latin America built only for treating COVID-19 patients. It had many beds and intensive care units.
In January 2021, some groups said El Salvador had problems with corruption during the pandemic. Investigations into 20 government groups were stopped after the Attorney General was removed in May 2021. Bukele also donated COVID-19 vaccines to neighboring Honduras.
Economy and Bitcoin
Bitcoin Adoption
On 5 June 2021, Bukele announced he would propose a law to make bitcoin legal tender (official money). He said it would "create jobs" and help more people use banks. The Legislative Assembly approved the law three days later.
Bitcoin became legal money in El Salvador on 7 September 2021. It was used alongside the United States dollar. El Salvador was the first country to do this. On the day bitcoin became legal, its price dropped. About 1,000 people protested the use of bitcoin in San Salvador.
Bukele's government bought many bitcoins. When the price of bitcoin went down in 2021 and 2022, El Salvador lost money. However, as the price of bitcoin went up in December 2023, Bukele said El Salvador's investment was now making a profit. By March 2024, he said they had made a 50-percent profit.
In November 2021, Bukele announced plans to build Bitcoin City. This city would be powered by geothermal energy from a volcano. It would have "no income tax, zero property tax," and "zero CO2 emissions." In December 2023, a law was passed allowing people to buy Salvadoran citizenship by donating bitcoins.
In December 2024, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) agreed to give El Salvador a $1.4 billion loan. In return, El Salvador agreed to make some changes to its bitcoin law. However, the director of the National Bitcoin Office said El Salvador would continue to buy bitcoins.
Economic Plan
During his second inauguration, Bukele said his second term would focus on improving the economy. In July 2024, he warned businesses against raising prices unfairly. Later that month, he announced a six-phase Economic Plan.
- Phase one, "Feeding," involved setting up food distribution centers and removing taxes on some farm imports.
- Phase two, "Technology," included building data centers and technology parks.
- Phase three, "Logistics," involved investing $1.6 billion to modernize ports.
In September 2024, Bukele said his 2025 government budget would not use borrowed money for daily spending. In October, El Salvador made a deal to restructure $1.03 billion of its debt. This deal would save money that could be used to protect the environment.
In November 2024, the Central American Bank for Economic Integration gave El Salvador $646 million for building projects. Bukele also supported mining gold, saying it could "transform El Salvador." The Legislative Assembly removed a ban on metal mining in December 2024, which Bukele approved. Some Salvadorans protested this decision.
Foreign Policy
In June 2019, Bukele's government stopped recognizing Nicolás Maduro as the president of Venezuela. Instead, they recognized Juan Guaidó. Bukele sees Maduro as a dictator. He also called the results of the 2024 Venezuelan election a "fraud."
El Salvador has not supported resolutions criticizing Nicaragua at the Organization of American States. Bukele's government says this is because they believe in "non-interference" in other countries' affairs.
In February 2022, Bukele criticized United States president Joe Biden about a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine. El Salvador did not vote on United Nations resolutions condemning the invasion. Bukele condemned the 7 October attacks by Hamas, calling them "savage beasts." He said Hamas "do not represent the Palestinians."
In March 2024, Bukele offered to send help to Haiti to deal with its gang problems. In October 2024, El Salvador agreed to send soldiers to Haiti to help with street patrols and air surveillance.
Relations with the United States
In September 2019, Bukele met with U.S. President Trump. Bukele asked Trump to support legal migration to help with illegal immigration. He also asked to keep the U.S. policy that protects Salvadorans living in the United States. The next month, Bukele confirmed that this protection would continue. In February 2021, President Biden did not meet Bukele when he arrived in Washington, D.C. without an appointment.
Some U.S. politicians have criticized Bukele's government. Others have supported his policies on crime. Bukele has had disagreements with U.S. Congress members on social media.
Relations with China
In 2018, El Salvador stopped diplomatic ties with Taiwan. It then recognized the People's Republic of China as the official government of China. Bukele had criticized China before becoming president. However, his Vice President said in May 2019 that they would not restore ties with Taiwan. In December 2019, Bukele met Chinese president Xi Jinping in Beijing. They signed a "gigantic" agreement for building projects. El Salvador and China have worked together on projects like the National Library of El Salvador and the National Stadium of El Salvador.
In November 2022, Bukele announced that El Salvador and China were discussing a free trade agreement. China has also donated fertilizer and wheat flour to El Salvador. Bukele said a free trade agreement with China was "very important."
Anti-Corruption Efforts
In November 2020, 20 government groups under Bukele were investigated for corruption related to the COVID-19 pandemic. But these investigations stopped after the Attorney General was removed in May 2021. The United States has placed sanctions on some of Bukele's government officials, calling them corrupt. Bukele called these actions "absurd."
On 1 June 2023, Bukele announced a "war against corruption." He said his government would build a prison for people convicted of white-collar crimes. He also said police and military would arrest these criminals like they do gang members. He mentioned that assets were being taken from a former Salvadoran president as part of this effort.
In 2022, a survey showed that only four percent of Salvadorans thought corruption was the country's biggest problem.
Municipal and Legislative Reductions
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In December 2022, Bukele suggested reducing the number of towns (municipalities) in El Salvador from 262 to 50. He thought it was "absurd" for a small country to have so many. Some critics said this was a way for him to gain more power.
On 1 June 2023, Bukele announced two proposals to the Legislative Assembly. One was to reduce the number of seats in the assembly from 84 to 60. The other was to reduce the number of municipalities from 262 to 44. He said the towns would keep their cultural identities and be called districts. The Legislative Assembly approved both proposals in June 2023. These changes became official on 1 May 2024.
2024 Re-election Campaign
On 3 September 2021, the Supreme Court ruled that the president could serve two terms in a row. This changed an earlier ruling. Lawyers said this new ruling went against El Salvador's constitution. Other political parties protested, calling it a step towards a dictatorship. The U.S. government also criticized the ruling.
On 15 September 2022, Bukele officially announced he would run for re-election in 2024. He said that "developed countries have re-election." Lawyers again said this went against the constitution.
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On 26 October 2023, Bukele officially registered his candidacy with the Supreme Electoral Court. On 3 November 2023, the court officially accepted his candidacy.
On 30 November 2023, the Legislative Assembly allowed Bukele and his Vice President to take a break from their duties. This was so they could focus on their re-election campaign. The assembly named Claudia Rodríguez de Guevara as the temporary president. She was the first woman to hold presidential powers in El Salvador.
There were six presidential candidates in the 2024 election. Bukele was far ahead in opinion polls. During his campaign, he promised to continue the gang crackdown, invest in building projects, and help the economy grow. On 4 February 2024, Bukele won re-election with 84.65 percent of the votes. He became the first Salvadoran president to be re-elected since 1944. His party also kept its strong majority in the Legislative Assembly. Bukele's second term began on 1 June 2024.
Personal Life
Family
Bukele started dating Gabriela Rodríguez, a psychologist and ballet dancer, in 2004. They married on 6 December 2014. They have two daughters, born in 2019 and 2023.
Wealth
In July 2019, Bukele's yearly presidential salary was $5,181. At that time, his total wealth was about $2,548,967. He earned most of his money from his businesses before he became a politician. Bukele also owns a coffee farm. In July 2024, he started donating coffee beans from his farm to local businesses. He also launched his own coffee brand called Bean of Fire.
Religion
Bukele's religious beliefs were discussed during his 2019 presidential campaign. There were rumors about whether he was Christian, Muslim, or atheist. Pictures of him praying at a mosque with his father spread online. Bukele said this was an attempt by others to use fear of Islam against him.
Bukele does not identify with one specific religion. However, he has said he believes in God and Jesus. In a 2015 interview, he said he believes in God and the Holy Bible. He has used Bible verses and mentioned God in his speeches. He has also called himself an "instrument of God."
Political Views
In September 2012, Bukele described himself as part of the "radical left." During his presidency, he has adopted some conservative policies. However, one of his campaign slogans is that "public services should be better than private ones." His political ideas are sometimes called "Bukelism." He has been compared to Donald Trump for his style and criticism of the news.
Public Transport
Bukele promised to punish bus companies that raise prices illegally. Police were sent out to make sure rules were followed. During his campaign, Bukele suggested building a new airport in the east of the country. This would help reduce traffic at the main airport and boost the economy. In April 2022, a law was passed to start building the Airport of the Pacific and a new train network.
Social Issues
Bukele has stated that he is against same-sex marriage. He believes marriage should be between "a man and woman."
Emigration
Bukele has said that people leave Central America for the United States because there are not enough jobs or safety. He believes this situation is "immoral." He has stated that he shares the concern about immigration, but for different reasons. He doesn't want people to leave El Salvador.
Honors and Decorations
Beijing International Studies University gave Bukele an honorary doctoral degree in December 2019. In 2021, Time magazine named Bukele as one of the world's 100 most influential people.
Foreign Decorations
Grand Cross with Golden Plaque of the National Order of Juan Mora Fernández (11 November 2024)
Electoral History
| Year | Office | Party | Main opponent and party | Votes for Bukele | Result | Swing | Ref. | |||||||
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| Total | % | P. | ±% | |||||||||||
| 2012 | Mayor of Nuevo Cuscatlán | FMLN | Tomás Rodríguez | ARENA | 2,862 | 51.67 | 1st | N/A | Won | Gain | ||||
| 2015 | Mayor of San Salvador | FMLN | Edwin Zamora | ARENA | 89,164 | 50.38 | 1st | N/A | Won | Gain | ||||
| 2019 | President of El Salvador | GANA | Carlos Calleja | ARENA | 1,434,856 | 53.10 | 1st | N/A | Won | Gain | ||||
| 2024 | President of El Salvador | NI | Manuel Flores | FMLN | 2,701,725 | 84.65 | 1st | +31.55 | Won | Hold | ||||
