President Nayib Bukele’s Approval Rating: 89% Job Approval in the Latest Survey

What's Behind the President's Popularity?

By Eddie Galdamez  | Updated on November 1, 2024
President Nayib Bukele Approval RatingPresident Nayib Bukele.

Since becoming president in 2019, President Nayib Bukele’s approval rating has been over 75%; his approval is the highest any Salvadoran president has sustained during consecutive presidential terms.

Nayib Bukele’s popularity continues in 2024. His unique leadership style, focus on enhancing security, and innovative governance approach have struck a chord with the public, earning him widespread admiration both domestically and internationally.

Despite accusations of authoritarianism and human rights violations, President Nayib Bukele has maintained this outstanding approval rating during his entire presidency.

2024 Surveys
Date Entity Rating/Score
November 2024 CID Gallup
Presidents Job Approval
89% Approval
View Survey
October 2024 UFG Disruptiva
Presidential Job Approval
8.28 out of 10
View Survey
September 2024 CID Gallup
Presidential Approval
89% Approval
View Survey
July 2024 Mitofsky
Ranking of global and American leaders
93% Approval
View Survey
June 2024 Iudop-UCA
2nd year of State of Exception Score
8.28 out of 10
View Survey
June 2024 CID Gallup
Presidential Approval
92% Approval
View Survey
April 2024 Iudop-UCA
2nd year of State of Exception Score
8.68 out of 10
View Survey
January 2024 FundaUngo
2023 Job Approval
91.2% Approval
View Survey
January 2024 Iudop-UCA
2023 Job Approval
8.54 out of 10
View Survey

You can view all 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 surveys at the bottom of this page (Click Here).

How popular is Nayib Bukele? Despite negative perceptions and condemnations from outside El Salvador, Nayib Bukele is one of the most popular presidents in Salvadoran history; domestically, Nayib Bukele’s Approval Rating has never gone below 75 percent during his entire presidential terms.

Why is Nayib Bukele so popular?

President Nayib Bukele’s popularity in El Salvador is due to the improved security the country has achieved since he took office; President Bukele has turned a country known for high levels of violence into one of the safest in Latin America.

Human rights organizations and the opposition call Nayib Bukele an authoritarian president who is destroying democracy in El Salvador. Nevertheless, they can’t argue against the fact that El Salvador’s security has drastically improved under his administration.

A clear example of this improved security is the decline in the country’s homicide rate. When Bukele took office in June 2019, El Salvador’s homicide rate was 6.57 murders per day or 35.8 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants.

By 2023, the country’s homicide rate was lowered to 0.42 per day or 2.4 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants. 2023 is considered the safest year in Salvadoran history. In 2024, the country’s homicide rate is on pace to break 2023’s numbers.

Even though the US Government, El Faro online newspaper, and other organizations claim that the reduction in homicides is due to a secret negotiation between the Bukele administration and gangs, Nayib Bukele’s popularity remains high.

Over the last 30 years, Salvadorans have known that violence was a part of the country’s daily life; however, under Bukele, that perception has changed.

Without a doubt, El Salvador’s president’s approval rating and popularity remain at high levels because he has improved the country’s security.

Can Bukele continue to maintain this high approval rating?

Yes, President Bukele can maintain his high approval ratings! An awful political opposition, the population’s resentment towards traditional political parties, and an excellent marketing machine by Nayib Bukele are some reasons why it could happen.

Nayib Bukele does not have a political opposition. Bukele destroyed 30 years of two-party dominance by the traditional political parties FMLN and ARENA. The opposition hasn’t recovered, and they do not have a charismatic leader who can compete against President Bukele.

SEE ALSO: Can Salvadoran political parties ARENA and FMLN recover political ground

Then there is the resentment Salvadorans feel towards the traditional political parties and their administrations that, for over 20 years, were not able to control the country’s violence. Furthermore, members of the traditional political parties stole millions of dollars from public funds.

Lastly, there is the Bukele marketing machine. The president has an excellent marketing system that controls the narrative and continues to make his administration look good to Salvadorans.

If we add the low credibility that the traditional media outlets have with most Salvadorans to an awful resented by most Salvadorans, President Nayib Bukele can easily continue with high approval ratings!

Nayib Bukele’s Approval Rating

What interests Salvadorans is to feel safe and to have security. This is something Nayib Bukele has delivered, so for the time being, they will continue to support Nayib Bukele and give it a high approval rating.

In conclusion, Nayib Bukele’s consistently high approval ratings reflect his ability to connect with the people of El Salvador. While opinions may vary, his leadership style and policies have resonated with a significant portion of the population, making him the prominent figure in Salvadoran politics.



All of Nayib Bukele Surveys

2023 Surveys
Date Entity Rating/Score
November 2023 CID Gallup
Job as president
92% Approval
View Survey
October 2023 CID Gallup
Latin America Presidential Approval
88% Approval
View Survey
June 2023 FUNDAUNGO
Bukele’s 4 years in office
90.9% Approval
View Survey
June 2023 UCA
Bukele’s 4 years in office
94.3% Approval
View Survey
June 2023 MITOFSKY
World Leaders Approval
93% Approval
View Survey
June 2023 CID Gallup
Bukele’s Job Approval
90% Approval
View Survey
June 2023 TResearch
Bukele’s 4 years in office
92.9% Approval
View Survey
June 2023 UFG
Bukele’s 4 years in office
8.58 out of 10
View Survey
March 2023 LPG Datos
Bukele’s Job Approval
91% Approval
View Survey
January 2023 CID Gallup
Job as President
90% Approval
View Survey
January 2023 UCA
2022 job approval
8.37 out of 10.
View Survey
2022 Surveys
Date Entity Rating/Score
December 2022 LPG Datos
Bukele’s Job Approval
87.8% Approval
View Survey
September 2022 UFG
Bukele’s Job Approval
8.42 out of 10
View Survey
October 2022 UCA
October survey
7.84 out of 10.
View Survey
October 2022 CID Gallup
Latin American Presidents
86% Approval
View Survey
September 2022 Fundaungo
Job Approval
89% Approval
View Survey
September 2022 UFG
Current Grade
8.08 out of 10
View Survey
July 22nd, 2022 CID Gallup
Latin American Presidents.
86% Approval
View Survey
June 2022 La Prensa Grafica
3 years in Office
86.8% Approval
View Survey
May 2022 UFC
3 years in Office
8.34 Score
View Survey
March 2022 CID Gallup
Latin American Presidents.
85% Approval
View Survey
January 2022 CID Gallup
Bukele’s job approval.
84% Approval
View Survey
January 2022 UCA
January survey
7.54 out of 10.
View Survey
2021 Surveys
Date Entity Rating/Score
December 2021 LPG Datos
2 1/2 Years in Office
85.1% Approval
View Survey
December 2021 LPG Datos
Managing pandemic
93.5% Approval
View Survey
December 2021 CID Gallup
Managing pandemic
96% Approval
View Survey
November 2021 Gavidia University
2 1/2 years in office
7.84 out of 10
View Survey
October 2021 CID Gallup
Managing pandemic
94% Approval
View Survey
September 2021 La Prensa Grafica
Job Approval
84.7% Approval
View Survey
September 2021 UCA
August survey
7.64 out of 10.
View Survey
August 2021 CID Gallup
Approval rate
87% Approval
View Survey
June 2021 Gavidia University
Two years in office
8.79 out of 10
View Survey
June 2021 UCA
two years’ in-office job performance
92.1% Approval
View Survey
June 2021 La Prensa Grafica
two years’ in-office job performance
86.5% Approval
View Survey
March 2021 CID Gallup
Managing pandemic
98% Approval
View Survey
February 2021 CID Gallup
Managing pandemic
91% Approve
View Survey
January 2021 Gavidia University
Managing pandemic
8.87 score
View Survey
2020 Surveys
Date Entity Rating/Score
December 2020 CID Gallup
Presiden’t job approval
89% Approve
View Survey
November 2020 CID Gallup
Managing pandemic
96% Approve
View Survey
October 2020 CID Gallup
Managing pandemic
92% Approve
View Survey
September 2020 Gavidia University
Managing pandemic
8.67 out of 10
View Survey
July 2020 UCA.
Management of the pandemic.
7.71 out of 10
View Survey
June 2020 CID Gallup
Managing pandemic
95% Approve
View Survey
June 2020 CID Gallup
Bukele’s job approval.
93% Approval
View Survey
May 2020 La Prensa Grafica
Managing pandemic
95.7% Approval
View Survey
April 2020 CID Gallup
Bukele’s job approval.
93% Approval
View Survey
March 2020 CID Gallup
Managing pandemic
96.7% Approval
View Survey
January 2020 Gavidia University
First 6 months in office.
8.39 out of 10
View Survey