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“President Bukele always sets a bar for us, we cannot go backwards,” responded El Salvador’s Minister of Tourism, Morena Váldez, when asked if in 2024 they will be able to repeat the record of six international events that were held in her country this year. “So that’s my answer,” she said in an interview with DUKE.

In 2023, El Salvador hosted the ISA World Longboard Championship, the ISA World Surfing Games, the CT stage, the CT longboard stage, the six-star ALAS and the Central American Games; as the latter complete an Olympic cycle, the survey referred to whether it will drop to five, but the answer seems to indicate that it will remain the same or, who knows, increase.

Valdez also said that one of the events being considered for organization is the Pan American Surfing Games, which have been held in Panama for two years in a row; Playa Venao and Santa Catalina. He explained that talks are underway with the WSL, ALAS, PASA and ISA to round out the 2024 schedule that will be announced before the end of the year.

Taking stock of 2023, he highlighted several moments, but he put Kelly Slater's presence up there and also highlighted the evolution of the Salvadoran surfers who saw Amado de Jesús Alvarado and Sindy Portillo winning gold at the Central American Games and (after the interview was over, Bryan Pérez won the ALAS).

The sad note in this report, Valdez stressed, was the death of Israel Barona in El Salvador on October 30.

Regarding what is to come, Valdez's term ends in May 2024 and if she is required to continue leading the portfolio, "it would be a matter of sitting down to see the projects that are in place."