14 Richest: Families In El Salvador |work|

The Slim family is one of the most influential and wealthy families in El Salvador. Their fortune was made in the telecommunications industry, with interests in companies such as TigoStar and Movistar. The family's net worth is estimated to be over $1.5 billion.

Perhaps the most recognizable name. Originally Sephardic Jewish immigrants, the de Solas built a fortune in coffee and textiles. Today, they own Grupo Poma (one of the largest conglomerates), which controls everything from Ford dealerships to the Séptimo Sentido retail chain and Grupo Roble (shopping malls).

The family controlled the pharmaceutical industry. Every aspirin, every IV drip in the private hospitals flowed through their warehouses. The Simán family owned the retail floors where the growing middle class spent their remesas—remittances sent from relatives in the United States. The Bukele family (no relation to the political figure, though often confused in whispers) held the machinery and auto distribution.

Today, these families survive by controlling the pipes of the economy: