Salvadoran businessman Roberto Kriete, one of Latin America’s most influential entrepreneurs and the majority shareholder of Avianca Airlines, publicly endorsed the direction in which President Nayib Bukele is leading El Salvador, calling it a historic shift that is laying the foundations for long-term development and prosperity.
During an event hosted by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of El Salvador, where he received the 2025 Philanthropy Award, Kriete highlighted the achievements of the Bukele administration in restoring public safety, reinforcing the rule of law, and creating a favorable environment for investment.
“Fortunately, we’ve had the opportunity to break out of the dead end we were in. We were months away from becoming a failed state like Haiti,” Kriete stated. “Fortunately, Nayib Bukele had the vision and the courage to make the decisions he made. Otherwise, I surely wouldn’t be living in El Salvador.”
Kriete, whose net worth is estimated at over $6.4 billion, emphasized that security is the cornerstone of any functioning society. “A State that doesn’t provide security is failing in its primary mission. After security, everything else—education, healthcare, infrastructure—can follow. But without it, there is nothing.”
The businessman noted that El Salvador is now a country that respects the law, fosters peaceful coexistence, and upholds individual freedoms—conditions essential to sustained growth. “We now have a strong rule of law, and that allows people to think freely, express themselves, and live in harmony.”
Looking ahead, Kriete expressed confidence in the country’s potential to achieve accelerated economic growth. “We cannot escape poverty by growing at just 2.5% per year. We need to reach 4%, 5%, or 6% to truly lift our population out of poverty,” he said, urging for the strategic use of national resources and legal modernization to attract more foreign and domestic investment.
Kriete also praised President Bukele’s leadership style and strategic vision. “Fortunately, we have an intelligent president. Nayib understands very well. He has the will and the commitment to lead this country to rapid development,” he said.
The businessman concluded with a clear and emphatic endorsement: “I 100% agree that this is the right direction for the country.”