Nayib Bukele’s Approval Rating: The President Achieves an 90% Approval in the Latest Survey

Since taking office in 2019, President Nayib Bukele has maintained an approval rating above 75%, the highest sustained by any Salvadoran president during their Presidential term.

Nayib Bukele’s popularity remains strong in 2025, driven by his distinctive leadership style, emphasis on public security, and unconventional approach to governance that continues to resonate with Salvadorans.

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

A recent survey conducted by CID Gallup shows that President Bukele has an impressive approval rating of 90% for his performance in office. This marks a three-point increase over the last three months, as his job approval rating was 87% in September 2025.

The latest Cid-Gallup survey shows 90% of Salvadorans approve of President Nayib Bukele’s performance, and 88% say they feel proud to have him as the country’s leader. The poll was conducted by telephone with 1,200 respondents.

When asked, “What is your opinion of Nayib Bukele?” 90% reported an optimistic view, 5% a negative one, and 5% declined to answer. The results show Bukele regaining three points since September, when he stood at 87%.

This 90% approval is the second-highest level recorded in the last seven Cid-Gallup polls; the peak was 91% in 2024. Negative views have continued to shrink over time—dropping from 13% in 2022, to 10% in 2023, to 7% in 2024, and down to 6% by September 2025.

Cid-Gallup’s general manager, Luis Haug, noted in a Frente a Frente interview that Bukele’s consistently high approval across six years in office is unusual compared to political trends in other countries.

Why is Nayib Bukele so popular?

President Nayib Bukele’s popularity in El Salvador stems primarily from the country’s significant security improvements under his leadership. Once one of the world’s most violent nations, El Salvador is now considered one of the safest in Latin America.

Critics, including human rights groups and opposition figures, describe Bukele as an authoritarian leader dismantling democracy.

Still, even they cannot deny that his government’s crackdown on gangs has brought unprecedented safety to Salvadorans.

The clearest sign of this shift is the plunge in the homicide rate. When Bukele took office in June 2019, the country averaged 6.57 murders per day, or 35.8 homicides per 100,000 people.

By the end of 2024, the homicide rate had fallen to just 0.31 per day—1.9 per 100,000 inhabitants—marking 2024 as the safest year in El Salvador’s history.

Despite allegations from the U.S. government, El Faro online newspaper, and other observers claiming that the drop in murders resulted from secret pacts with gangs, Bukele’s popularity has not faltered.

For over three decades, Salvadorans had accepted violence as part of daily life. Under Bukele, that perception has been broken, replaced by a sense of security unseen in generations.

Ultimately, the president’s approval ratings remain sky-high because he delivered something Salvadorans had long been denied—peace in their neighborhoods and confidence in public safety.

Can Bukele continue to maintain this high approval rating?

Yes, President Nayib Bukele can maintain his high approval ratings. Several factors make this possible, including a weak opposition, deep public resentment, and powerful political marketing.

Bukele currently faces no serious political opposition. He dismantled 30 years of dominance by the traditional parties—FMLN and ARENA—leaving them directionless and unable to recover.

Neither party has produced a charismatic leader capable of competing with Bukele. Their lack of vision and leadership keeps them politically irrelevant in the eyes of most Salvadorans.

Public anger toward the old parties runs deep. For more than two decades, their governments failed to control violence or improve the lives of ordinary citizens.

Corruption scandals also haunt them. Members of both FMLN and ARENA administrations stole millions of dollars in public funds, further eroding any remaining trust among Salvadorans.

Meanwhile, Bukele’s media machine remains unmatched. His team tightly controls the national narrative and consistently portrays his administration as effective and modern.

Add to that the low credibility of traditional media outlets, which most Salvadorans distrust, and it’s clear why Bukele’s popularity continues to soar with little opposition.

Nayib Bukele’s Approval Rating

What matters most to Salvadorans is feeling safe and protected. The Bukele Government has delivered that sense of security, so for now, the public remains firmly behind him.

In conclusion, Bukele’s consistently high approval ratings show his strong connection with the Salvadoran people. Despite differing opinions, his leadership and policies continue to define the nation’s political landscape.

Nayib Bukele’s Approval Rating — All Surveys