President of El Salvador inaugurates new National Library

China’s Belt and Road Initiative is changing the face of Central America, not least in El Salvador, where multiple projects are in the works. 

Anchored in the heart of colonial San Salvador, a towering and expansive library was inaugurated this week by President Nayib Bukele, the latest sign of China’s growing influence across Central America.

With the Chinese ambassador at his side, Bukele toured the seven-story building, erected at a cost of $54 million paid for by China.

The building sprawls over 24,000 square meters (260,000 square feet), and contains gamer and robotics areas, interactive digital screens, and both a digital library and shelves containing 360,000 books, the government said on Tuesday, November 14th.