El Salvador’s Incoming President, Rejected by Ruling Party, Carves His Own Path – Reuters

By Nelson Renteria and Noe Torres

SAN SALVADOR – Expelled from the ruling leftist Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) and unable to establish his own political party, Nayib Bukele charted his own course to victory as an outsider in El Salvador’s presidential election.

At 37, Bukele, a businessman and former mayor, sought a new political home following his 2017 expulsion from the FMLN for allegedly violating party rules. During his final months as mayor of San Salvador, he attempted, unsuccessfully, to form his own party. After briefly joining a center-left party that was subsequently dissolved by the electoral authority, he ultimately aligned with the conservative Great National Alliance (GANA).

His third attempt proved successful, as Bukele captured 53 percent of the vote in the presidential election, winning decisively in the first round. His victory marked the end of the two-party dominance in El Salvador that had persisted since the conclusion of its civil war in 1992 — the former rebel FMLN and the conservative Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA).

Bukele’s unique route to the presidency illustrates the innovative approach he intends to take in governance beginning in June. "He is able to think about solutions to problems in creative ways," noted Bertha de Leon, a friend and lawyer of Bukele. "He may not necessarily be right, but that’s something valuable in a leader — offering proposals that nobody has raised."

Bukele, an entrepreneur of Palestinian descent, describes himself as a fan of U.S. television series, including the political drama "House of Cards" and the legal series "Billions." He recently finished watching "The Good Wife," a show about the spouse of a disgraced politician.

His political career began in 2012 as mayor of Nuevo Cuscatlán, a small town near the capital, where he gained visibility through social media despite limited resources. He then served as mayor of San Salvador from 2015 to 2018, where he became well-known for championing social causes and donating his salary to scholarships.

With his distinctive appearance, Bukele chose to avoid traditional interviews and debates, claiming they would be biased against him. Instead, he focused on connecting with supporters via social media, encouraging dialogue on addressing corruption.

Running on an anti-corruption platform, Bukele has not been without controversy himself, facing accusations of plagiarism within his government platform and being under investigation for alleged money laundering and fraud during his mayoral terms. While he denies the plagiarism accusations, he has not publicly addressed the money-laundering allegations.