What Is Nayib Bukele Net Worth?
Net Worth | $8 million |
Source of Wealth | Multiple business ventures/Politician |
Date of Birth | July 24, 1981 |
Nationality | Salvadorian |
Height | 5 feet 8 inches |
Place of Birth | San Salvador, El Salvador |
Star Sign | Leo |
Religion | Christian |
Partner | Gabriela Rodríguez de Bukele (m. 2014) |
Nayib Bukele is the 43rd president of El Salvador and a prominent businessman. He assumed office on June 1, 2019, after years of serving as the mayor in Nuevo Cuscatlán from 2012 to 2015 and San Salvador (capital city) from 2015 to 2018.
Bukele does not belong to El Salvador’s two major political parties, the right-wing Nationalist Republican Alliance and the left-wing Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front. He instead founded his own party, Nuevas Ideas.
Before the Spotlight
Bukele studied at Central American University. His university studies would be short-lived, ending his academic career and starting his first company at 18.
At the time, Bukele owned Yamaha Motors in El Salvador. He was always interested in business opportunities and investments. Lastly, in 2011 he was president and director of Obermet S.A. de C.V., a consulting firm.
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The Road to Success
Nayib Bukele has been successful in many of his business ventures. He earns a significant amount of money from the multiple companies he has founded or invested in and his salary from being the president. Speaking of which, Bukele was elected as the president of El Salvador in 2019 after an overwhelming victory against his opposition.
Bukele has shown from the decisions he’s made in his presidency that he is willing to take risks when presented with opportunities to advance the country’s economic success.
Bukele recently took it upon himself to rid El Salvador of gang violence and crime, which has long plagued the nation. The breaking point arrived when 62 murders took place on March 26 alone. The very next day, Congress declared a national state of emergency and instructed the country’s military to prepare itself for an oncoming crackdown against gangs.
The state of emergency, which was expected to last for 30 days, has now been ongoing for nearly four months as armed forces and mass arrests are seen all over El Salvador. Since March 27, over 46,000 people have been arrested in what journalists and media outlets have referred to as a humanitarian crisis. Arrests were made arbitrarily, many among those incarcerated were tortured, and about 18 prisoners died while in custody. Emotional videos of distraught mothers outside detention centers pleading for the release of who they believe to be their innocent sons have surfaced online.
Despite the strong opposition he faces from various national and international human rights organizations, Bukele stands strong, and his nation stands right beside him. According to a survey carried out in May, over 90% of El Salvadorians support the measures the government has taken. Only about 7% of the population was in disagreement. It’s also interesting to note that the arrested 46,000+ gang members make up approximately 2% of the nation’s total population.
Bukele has acknowledged the fact that it’s realistic for some wrongful arrests to be made on a crackdown of this scale and nature. More specifically, he claimed that 1% of all arrests would be incorrect. However, his defense minister later added that prisoners without connections to a gang would be freed without penalty.
Bukele has expressed his criticism of the human rights organizations that are currently campaigning against him. He stated how they were nowhere to be found when innocent El Salvadorian civilians were suffering as a result of gang violence. In his own words, human rights NGOs were “not saying anything when these criminals killed tens of Salvadoran men and women, but they leaped at attention when we began to arrest them saying that we are violating their rights”
Whether or not what he is doing is righteous, it’s sure to pay off in discouraging future gang violence.
The Best Moments
- On March 11, 2012, he became the mayor of Nuevo Cuscatlán
- He was elected as mayor of San Salvador, the nation’s capital, on March 1, 2015, serving from May 1, 2015, to April 30, 2018.
- He assumed office as the 43rd president of El Salvador on June 1, 2019.
- Bukele enforced an initiative to provide free laptops to public school students to improve the education system.
The Private Side
Bukele’s parents were originally Christian, though his father later became Muslim and converted to Islam. During the 2019 election, Nayib’s religious beliefs became a controversial topic since his mother was still a Christian.
On December 6, 2016, Bukele married Gabriela Rodriguez, whom he had met through mutual friends. During his first presidential term, Bukele and his wife welcomed their first child to the world, Layla Bukele. He is currently serving his second term as president of El Salvador.
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El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele Talk to Al Jazeera
Famous Quotes of Nayib Bukele
Bukele never shies away from speaking candidly. Here are some of his most memorable quotes:
- “It is clear that there has been money, but it has gone to line the pockets of the corrupt.”
- “The police and armed forces must prioritize safeguarding their lives, those of their companions and of honest citizens. The use of lethal force is authorized in self-defense or in defense of the lives of Salvadoreans.”
- “ People don’t flee their homes because they want to, people flee their homes because they feel they have to. Why? Because they don’t have a job, because they are being threatened by gangs, because they don’t have basic things like water, education, health.”
Social World
Nayib Bukele is very active on all major social media platforms. In addition to keeping his millions of followers up to date with all the latest news and activities, he uses his social media reach to raise awareness and influence the public.
- Twitter: @nayibbukele (3.8 million followers)
- Instagram: @nayibbukele (3.3 million followers)
- Tik Tok: @nayibbukele (3.3 million followers)
- Facebook: Nayib Bukele (6.1 million followers)
Lessons and Tips
Bukele’s successes in business and politics provide us with many lessons.
- Bukele states that it is the responsibility of all citizens to help one another, even if it causes momentary discomfort, for the greater good of all.
- Nayib Bukele believes that the children are the future, and without investing in them, the country has no hope of prosperity.
- Bukele says that you have to be willing to take risks to be successful.
The Unusual Facts
The following are some interesting facts about Bukele’s life and political career.
- Nayib Bukele left law school at 18 years old to run a company, and he owns Yamaha Motors in El Salvador.
- Bukele advocated for women’s rights, appointing eight women to top government positions when he became president.
- Nayib Bukele is the first political leader to adopt Bitcoin as one of the country’s official currencies.
- Bukele is one of the youngest Latin American presidents in history.
- Bukele has one of the highest approval rates of all political leaders, at 85 percent.
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FAQs
How much does the president of El Salvador make?
As president, Nayib Bukele makes $5,181 each month.
What is Nayib Bukele’s political party affiliation?
He is a member of the Nuevas Ideas, a Salvadoran populist political party founded on October 25, 2017.
What are Nayib Bukele’s biggest accomplishments?
Within two years of his presidency, he significantly reduced the crime rate and improved social welfare programs.
The Closing Remarks
Nayib Bukele prides himself on being a leader that’s for the people and relatable to the public. He’s not afraid to challenge others or speak out against corruption, and he rules sternly.
He’s known for using his phone frequently, always being on social media to stay connected with the world, taking selfies, and embracing his status as a millennial president who wants to shake things up.
Recently, the El Salvadorian government’s investment in Bitcoin recently lost about 60% of its market value, bringing the economically struggling country closer to a default.