Bukele, Maduro, and the Expanding Influence of Power
Nayib BukeleS recent re-election as President of El salvador, despite constitutional prohibitions, has drawn parallels – and distinctions – to other leaders in Latin America, notably Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela. While Bukele and Maduro publicly maintain a distance, even expressing mutual dislike, instances of cooperation and shared approaches to power dynamics exist.
Bukele secured a landslide victory after a controversial interpretation by El Salvador’s Supreme Court allowed him to run, arguing he hadn’t held office in the six months prior to the election – a reading even questioned by a former U.S. chargé d’affaires. This decision followed Bukele’s reshaping of the court’s composition through his parliamentary majority.The re-election was largely attributed to public approval of his management’s efforts to combat gang violence.
A notable, if indirect, connection between the two administrations arose from a deal involving Venezuelan deportees.El Salvador, under Bukele, rented its Cecot prison to the United States to house 252 Venezuelans deported from the U.S. The Maduro regime later facilitated their return to Venezuela, framing the event as a “ransom” despite its previous open policy regarding venezuelan exile.
Beyond politics, the Bukele family’s influence is expanding into other sectors.Yamil Bukele, the president’s half-brother (one of ten children from his father Armando Bukele Kattán’s relationships), is set to become the next president of the Salvadoran soccer federation. He will first need to resign from his current position as head of the National Sports Institute, an appointment secured through presidential influence.
This expansion of power within El Salvador’s football organization echoes concerns surrounding the Venezuelan Football Federation, which has long been plagued by mismanagement and allegations of corruption. While Venezuela looks ahead to the 2030 World Cup,hoping to improve its performance,El Salvador – a past World Cup participant in 1970 and 1982 – continues to struggle with qualification,and Yamil Bukele’s appointment is unlikely to yield immediate results.
