El Salvador President Nayib Bukele has never shied away from provocative self-branding.
At one point, according to the Harvard Business Review, his X bio famously read “the world’s coolest dictator,” a phrase that drew international attention as his government launched an aggressive campaign against gang violence.
As of late 2025, that bio has since changed to “Philosopher King,” but the label still follows him—especially as he signals openness to remaining in power well beyond his current term.
In a recent video interview with Spanish YouTuber TheGrefg, Bukele said he would be open to staying in office another decade.
“If it were up to me, I would stay for 10 more years,” he said, per Reuters, adding that he and his wife had once agreed he would leave politics in 2029.
His comments come as El Salvador prepares for its next presidential election in 2027, after lawmakers aligned with Bukele passed reforms abolishing term limits, extending presidential terms from five to six years, and moving the election date forward.
Bukele first took office in 2019 and secured a second term in 2024 with a landslide victory, despite constitutional provisions that critics say prohibit consecutive reelection.
Legal scholars inside and outside the country have questioned the legality of those changes, noting that El Salvador’s constitution bars reelection in multiple articles. Still, Bukele maintains that the decision to keep him in power rests with voters, not courts or foreign observers.
His popularity is closely tied to his government’s sweeping security strategy. Beginning in 2022, El Salvador entered a prolonged state of exception that suspended key constitutional protections, including due process and habeas corpus.
Under those measures, tens of thousands of people were detained as authorities targeted gangs like MS-13 and Barrio 18. During Bukele’s presidency, homicide rates dropped sharply, turning one of the world’s most violent countries into one of its safest by regional standards.
Human rights organizations, however, allege that the crackdown has led to arbitrary detentions, abuse in custody, and deaths inside prisons. U.S. officials and investigative journalists have also reported evidence suggesting Bukele’s government previously negotiated with gang leaders to keep violence low—claims his administration denies.
Despite the controversy, Bukele continues to enjoy some of the highest approval ratings of any world leader. While critics warn that democratic institutions and civil liberties have been weakened, many Salvadorans credit his hardline approach with restoring daily security.
