El Salvador Just Made It Legal for Bukele To Stay in Power Indefinitely
El Salvador’s Legislative Assembly has approved constitutional changes that clear the way for President Nayib Bukele to run for reelection indefinitely.
The changes passed Thursday night with a 57–3 vote, less than an hour after they were introduced, without debate or amendments. That outcome was expected: Bukele’s party, New Ideas, holds 54 of the Assembly’s 60 seats, and allied parties control three more.
“Historically, reelection has been allowed in El Salvador for almost all elected positions, without prohibitions or particular conditions,” said Ana Figueroa, a New Ideas lawmaker who introduced the measure. “The only exception so far has been the presidency.”
The exception is now gone.
In addition to allowing indefinite presidential reelection, the reforms eliminate the second round of presidential elections, extend presidential terms from five to six years, and move the next election from 2027 to 2029 to align with congressional elections.
Figueroa claimed the changes would “foster stability, reduce costs, and increase legal certainty in order to attract investment.”
Bukele, a former mayor of San Salvador, was first elected as president in 2019. He gained international attention for his aggressive crackdown on gangs and his decision to adopt bitcoin as legal tender.
Under Bukele’s leadership, El Salvador’s homicide rate dropped. But the cost has been steep: More than 2 percent of the country’s adult population has been imprisoned under a “state of exception“ that suspends constitutional rights and allows mass detentions without trial. While supporters credit his security strategy with restoring order, human rights groups have reported widespread abuses, including arbitrary arrests and the detentions of innocent people.
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