In a historic moment broadcast live nationwide, President Nayib Bukele laid the foundation stone tonight for El Salvador’s Pacific Airport, a state-of-the-art international aviation hub in La Unión.
The $386.4 million first phase of the project, set to open in the second half of 2027, promises to transform regional connectivity and boost economic growth.
Key Highlights:
🏗️ Phased Development:
- Phase 1 (2027): A 2.4-kilometer runway, two boarding gates, and capacity for 300,000 passengers annually (2,000 flights).
- Phase 2: Expansion to a 3-kilometer runway, 8 additional gates, and 1 million passengers/year (8,000 flights). The original terminal will transition to private flights.
- Phase 3: 18 total gates and capacity for 5 million passengers/year, positioning the airport as a Central American aviation leader.
💼 Economic Impact:
- The first phase alone is expected to generate $300 million annually (based on $1,000 spent per international passenger).
- Over 10,000 direct/indirect jobs will be created during initial construction, rising to 50,000 jobs within a decade.
International Standards & Funding:
The airport meets strict FAA (U.S.) and ICAO (U.N.) regulations. Funding includes support from the Development Bank of Latin America, a $16.4 million contribution from Spain, and $50 million in national funds.
🤝 Ethical Land Acquisition:
President Bukele emphasized that all 39 families previously living on the site were compensated fairly:
“We did not displace anyone forcibly. This land was purchased in full through voluntary negotiations with all owners and occupants. We supported each family with tens of thousands of dollars and helped them secure new housing.”
A Vision for Progress:
“Developing a country isn’t easy. It’s taken 5.5 years to lay this foundation, but here we are. Construction is now full steam ahead,” declared Bukele, underscoring the project’s role in his Plan Cuscatlán to modernize El Salvador.
Bukele spoke about the lies and mockery from those who criticize his work
At the event, he referred to people who oppose him and who in the past mocked him by claiming that he only presented projects as renderings.
Among these individuals are several aligned with one of the political parties that did the most damage to El Salvador—the Socialist Party, which was in power for 10 years and neglected the eastern region of the country.
In that region, only during Bukele’s government, an investment of US$1.4244 billion has been made. An unprecedented figure compared to what the socialist government invested during its 10-year term, as they practically invested nothing ($0.00). This is why it’s no exaggeration to say they had neglected this part of the country.
This stands in stark contrast to the Socialist Party, which not only neglected the eastern region but also saw many of its members flee the country due to embezzlement and illicit enrichment, not to mention that for many years they deceived the people with the notion that people had to remain poor, among many other things.
Bukele also mentioned that this party (which he himself was once a member of but left before they could expel him) not only failed to build anything in the eastern region of El Salvador but also had extensive experience in destroying things.
He referenced how, during the civil war—the socialist war that El Salvador endured from the 1970s to the early 1990s—this political party, before becoming an official party, blew up an important bridge for the eastern region, the “Puente de Oro.”
As an additional fact: this socialist party is nearing extinction. It was once one of the two most voted political parties in the country, but in the last elections, it secured only 6.40% of the votes—a 47.6% drop compared to the previous election. Moreover, it is worth noting that a significant portion of its voters are elderly people.
Therefore, this event was not just about inaugurating the construction of the airport or listing the government’s investments and projects in the eastern region (though investments have been made elsewhere, this event focused specifically on the east).
It also served to expose the hypocrisy of some critics—people whose greatest experience in the past was harming El Salvador and deepening poverty in the country. But those dark times are now in the past. The Socialist Party has gone down in El Salvador’s history as one of the worst things that ever happened to the country.
As a curious fact: despite mentioning the socialist party, the so-called “right-wing” party is also one of the strongest critics of Bukele’s government. Interestingly, both the “right-wing” and “left-wing” parties have joined forces to oppose everything Bukele has done and continues to do—a clear sign that their true interest has always been power and money.
Event Video
The inauguration event was broadcast nationwide so that everyone watching local TV channels and listening to the radio could see or hear it.
The Pacific Airport marks a leap forward for El Salvador’s infrastructure, tourism, and global economic integration. Stay tuned for updates as this transformative project takes flight! ✈️🇸🇻
