Claudia Ortiz

Claudia Mercedes Ortiz Menjívar (born 10 September 1987) is a Salvadoran politician who currently serves as a deputy of the Legislative Assembly. She is the only deputy of the political party Vamos in the legislature, and was elected in the 2021 legislative election from the department of San Salvador. Ortiz is considered a leading opposition figure to the presidency of Nayib Bukele.

Early life and education

Claudia Mercedes Ortiz Menjívar was born on 10 September 1987 in San Salvador, El Salvador. She graduated from the Sacred Heart College and the Central American University as a lawyer.

Political career In the 2021 legislative election, she was elected to the Legislative Assembly as a deputy of the Vamos political party, the only member of her party elected to the legislature. She declined to be a presidential candidate in the 2024 presidential election.

In October 2022, she opposed a bill which would allow Salvadorans living outside of the country to vote in the 2024 election, claiming that it would lead to voter fraud. She is considered to be one of the leading figures of the political opposition within the legislature against the government of Nayib Bukele and Nuevas Ideas. She won re-election.

Ortiz participated in the 1 May 2023 protests against Bukele's re-election as presidential and the country's gang crackdown. Ortiz was the leading receiver of votes among opposition figures in the 2024 legislative election. but Vamos ultimately decided to not run a presidential candidate. Ortiz herself was evaluating whether she would seek re-election or run for Mayor of San Salvador Centro. In July 2026, Ortiz was nominated for re-election.

Ortiz was the only deputy to vote against a constitutional reform that allowed courts to issue life imprisonment to individuals convicted of murder, rape, or terrorism. She defended her vote by stating that life imprisonment "puts a seal" ("") on innocents who are convicted and criticized the reform as an "improvisation".

Personal life

Ortiz is married and has two children. She is trilingual, being able to speak Spanish, French, and English.