El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele declares landslide victory in election

Fireworks erupted in El Salvador’s capital Sunday as President Nayib Bukele claimed a massive first-round re-election victory on the back of a “war” on gangs credited with slashing homicide rates in the violence-weary country.

Bukele, 42, claimed to have won more than 85 per cent of the presidential vote and his party Nuevas Ideas 58 of the 60 seats in parliament.

In a victory speech given to cheering, flag-waving crowds from a balcony of the National Palace before final official results were announced, Bukele claimed his win represented “the biggest difference between first place and second place in the history” of democratic presidential elections anywhere.