'Coolest dictator' to 'philosopher king,' Nayib Bukele's path to reelection in El Salvador

MEXICO CITY (AP) — El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele has called himself the “world’s coolest dictator” or as his X profile read on election day, the “Philosopher King.”

Now he’ll likely have five more years to provoke, surprise and raise concerns, after appearing to win a landslide reelection as the Central American country’s president. Preliminary and partial results Monday suggested Bukele had romped to victory Sunday over the country’s thoroughly discredited traditional parties from the right and left.

Bukele is a millennial of the we-have-to-break-things mentality, and he shuns ideology. He is a populist in a long line of Latin American populists, but with a mastery of social media, communication and publicity seldom seen before.

A look at some things he did in his first term: