Nayib Bukele Net Worth

What is Nayib Bukele's Net Worth?

Nayib Bukele is an El Salvadoran politician with a net worth of $2 million. Elected as president of El Salvador in 2019, Bukele previously served as mayor of Nuevo Cuscatlán and San Salvador. Despite high approval ratings from the public, his government has been criticized for authoritarian practices, including the extensive use of police and military for intimidation.

Early Life

Nayib Armando Bukele Ortez was born on July 24, 1981, in San Salvador, El Salvador, to a Muslim father, Armando, and a Christian mother, Olga. Bukele's ancestry is Palestinian on his father's side. He attended Central American University to study law but eventually dropped out to start his first company, Yamaha Motors El Salvador.

Mayoral Career

Bukele began his political career as the mayor of Nuevo Cuscatlán in 2012. During his tenure, he implemented programs providing monthly nutritional packages for all adults over 55 and scholarships for students with GPAs over 3.5. Additionally, the homicide rate in Nuevo Cuscatlán decreased significantly during his term. In 2015, Bukele was elected mayor of San Salvador, where he modernized the city's infrastructure, including road expansions and telecommunications improvements.

Presidential Election

Bukele was expelled from the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front in 2017 due to allegations of sowing internal division, among other accusations. He ran as an independent and eventually joined the Grand Alliance for National Unity party, winning the presidency in 2019, making him the first candidate in decades to do so without representing one of the two major parties.

(OSCAR RIVERA/AFP via Getty Images)

President of El Salvador

Shortly after taking office in June 2019, Bukele focused on tackling crime by increasing the presence of the National Civil Police and Armed Forces. These actions resulted in a significant reduction in homicide rates; however, allegations arose that he had negotiated with the criminal gang Mara Salvatrucha. Bukele also set up the International Commission Against Impunity in El Salvador and an anti-corruption unit within the police. In 2020, Bukele faced backlash for deploying soldiers into the Legislative Assembly to compel lawmakers to pass a military funding bill. In 2021, the Supreme Court ruling allowed Bukele to seek reelection in 2024, a move criticized as dictatorial. Bukele's government was also accused of human rights violations, including arbitrary arrests and police abuse.

Bitcoin

Bukele declared bitcoin legal tender in El Salvador, making it the first country to do so. However, the price of bitcoin plummeted, costing the national treasury around $22 million and contributing to El Salvador’s severe sovereign debt crisis.

Political Views

Bukele identifies as a right-wing populist and autocrat. He opposes abortion in all cases, as well as LGBTQ and immigrant rights.

Personal Life

Bukele married Gabriela Rodríguez, an educator and prenatal psychologist, in December 2014. The couple welcomed their first child in 2019 during Bukele’s early tenure as president.