As of 2019, El Salvador found a strong leader in President Nayib Bukele. In case you’re unfamiliar, the Central American country has since transformed into a far more organized and safer destination, with violent crime rates at record lows. It has also become a growing hub for tourism, even hosting major international events like Miss Universe in 2023.
During the pageant, President Bukele made a public appearance and gave a speech, stating, “We now have become the safest country in Latin America. We would like to thank the Miss Universe Organization for joining us in this historic process.” He added, “El Salvador is changing.”
With the country undergoing a dramatic shift in image, here’s a closer look at the man behind its transformation.
Nayib Bukele Is Married
Beyond his role as a politician, Bukele is also a husband to Gabriela Rodríguez de Bukele, the First Lady of El Salvador. The couple married in 2014 and have since become a symbol of strength and unity in the nation’s rise to global recognition.
Gabriela is not only the First Lady but also a prenatal and perinatal psychologist—and a ballerina.
Nayib Bukele Is a Father
In addition to his leadership roles, Bukele is a father to two daughters.
Nayib Bukele Drastically Reduced Crime in El Salvador
Under Bukele’s administration, crime rates in El Salvador have dropped dramatically, largely due to his aggressive crackdown on criminal organizations and the establishment of high-security prisons.
During a meeting with former U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House in April 2025, Bukele remarked, “We know that you have a crime problem and a terrorism problem that you need help with. And we’re a small country — but if we can help, we will do it. And we actually turned the murder capital of the world…into the Safest country of the western hemisphere. Sometimes they say that we imprisoned thousands. I like to say that we actually liberated millions.”
Bukele Denies Return of Kilmar Abrego García to the U.S.
During the same meeting, Bukele addressed the case of Kilmar Abrego García, a Maryland native, to Trump stating that he would not allow his return to U.S. soil. “The question is preposterous. How can I smuggle a terrorist into the United States?” Bukele added, “I don’t have the power to return him to the United States.”
