@nayibbukele: “In El Salvador, we do not censor opinions. We do not confiscate the property of those who think differently. We do not arrest people for expressing their ideas. In El Salvador, your freedom of expression, as well as your private property, will always be protected.”

THE $2.9 BILLION RIPPLE EFFECT: OPAMSS PREPARES EL SALVADOR FOR A NEW WAVE OF DEVELOPMENT 🇸🇻🏗️ Following President Nayib Bukele's historic investment agreement with Spain's Grupo Cox, El Salvador's metropolitan planning authority is mobilizing its technical expertise and artificial intelligence tools to identify new opportunities for construction, infrastructure, and economic growth. SAN SALVADOR — October 15, 2026 El Salvador's historic $2.9 billion investment agreement with Spain's Grupo Cox is already setting the stage for a broader conversation about the country's next phase of economic development. Just days after President @nayibbukele announced the agreement for strategic energy and water projects, the Office of Metropolitan Planning of San Salvador (OPAMSS) confirmed that it has begun working with the private sector to evaluate how the investment could generate additional opportunities across the construction industry and other productive sectors. For OPAMSS Executive Director Luis Rodríguez, the agreement represents more than a major foreign investment. It is an opportunity to strengthen the infrastructure, industrial capacity, and development networks needed to support El Salvador's expanding economy. FROM MAJOR INVESTMENT TO NEW ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES Grupo Cox's planned investment covers strategic projects involving solar energy, energy storage, natural gas, drinking water, and sanitation. Beyond the direct development of those projects, @COAMSS_OPAMSS sees the potential for additional economic activity in construction, industrial facilities, logistics, commercial development, and supporting infrastructure. @LRodriguez_SV described the investment as a catalyst capable of activating a multiplier effect across different sectors of the economy. In a statement published on X, he emphasized the importance of building on the country's improved security environment, introducing his remarks with a phrase that captures the administration's broader development strategy: "The returns on security." According to Rodríguez, OPAMSS has already initiated impact assessments, examining existing industrial clusters, opportunities to strengthen established development areas, and the potential creation of new economic hubs. The institution is also coordinating with private-sector representatives to evaluate how these opportunities could be developed. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ENTERS THE PLANNING PROCESS A central component of OPAMSS's preparation is NIX, its artificial intelligence platform for territorial and pre-investment analysis. The institution plans to use NIX alongside its multidisciplinary technical teams to examine the conditions necessary for potential projects associated with the investment. These assessments include land availability and suitability, transportation and logistics, urban mobility, infrastructure capacity, public services, stormwater management, and risk evaluation. The objective is to provide investors and developers with better territorial information while supporting coordination between public institutions and the private sector. Rather than treating artificial intelligence as a separate technological initiative, OPAMSS is incorporating it into the practical work of planning El Salvador's future development. Rodríguez confirmed that the institution has made its technical expertise, research capabilities, and AI tools available to support the evaluation of potential projects. BUILDING ON MORE THAN $7.1 BILLION IN CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY The announcement comes as El Salvador's construction sector continues to attract substantial investment. According to OPAMSS, more than $7.126 billion in projects have been cleared or are under execution, reflecting the scale of development activity the institution has facilitated. @grupocox agreement introduces another significant opportunity, particularly as new energy and water infrastructure could help support future industrial, commercial, and urban expansion. OPAMSS is examining how the investment may influence development across the San Salvador Metropolitan Area and La Libertad Costa, while considering the infrastructure and territorial requirements of individual projects. The institution has not presented these additional opportunities as finalized investments. Its current work focuses on analysis, planning, and identifying where the greatest economic impact could be achieved. SECURITY, INVESTMENT, AND THE NEXT STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT The announcement also illustrates how President Nayib Bukele's administration is seeking to connect its security achievements with a broader economic modernization strategy. El Salvador's improved security environment has become a central element of the government's efforts to attract international investment, while institutions such as OPAMSS are working to improve planning, streamline development processes, and incorporate new technologies. For Rodríguez, the $2.9 billion agreement represents an opportunity to expand those efforts through closer collaboration with the private sector. His message is forward-looking: a major investment in energy and water infrastructure could create conditions for further projects, new productive connections, and stronger economic activity. The full impact will depend on how the investment and associated projects progress. But the planning work has already begun. El Salvador has secured a major investment commitment. OPAMSS is now preparing for the opportunities that could follow. El Salvador on X — Explaining El Salvador to the World.