San Salvador: The ruling party of El Salvador has pushed through sweeping constitutional changes that will allow President Nayib Bukele to run for indefinite re-election.
On Thursday, 57 lawmakers in the Legislative Assembly, dominated by Bukele’s New Ideas party, voted in favor of the constitutional amendments, while only three voted against.
The reforms will extend presidential terms from five to six years, scrap run-off elections, and crucially, remove term limits, clearing the path for Bukele to seek a third consecutive term and beyond.
The vote was rushed through on the eve of El Salvador’s summer holidays, without public consultation or legislative debate, drawing swift condemnation from opposition parties and human rights organizations. “Democracy has died in El Salvador,” said Marcela Villatoro, a lawmaker with the opposition ARENA party.
El Salvador’s constitution had long prohibited consecutive presidential re-election. However, in 2021, the country’s Constitutional Chamber, which was restructured with judges loyal to Bukele, ruled that re-election was a human right, clearing the way for Bukele to run again in 2024, which he won by a wide margin.
At the time, Bukele downplayed the need for further reform, telling reporters after his re-election that he “didn’t think a constitutional change would be necessary.” He declined to clarify whether he intended to pursue a third term. Thursday’s vote now legally opens the door.
“Thank you for making history, fellow deputies,” said Ernesto Castro, President of the Legislative Assembly, after announcing the results.
Beyond enabling indefinite re-election, the reform package also shortens the president’s current term to synchronize presidential, legislative, and municipal elections in 2027. Supporters claim this streamlining is aimed at improving electoral efficiency, but opponents argue it’s part of a broader campaign to centralize political control.
The constitutional changes have drawn strong rebukes from domestic watchdogs and international human rights groups, who say El Salvador is veering further into autocratic territory.
“The reforms lead to a total imbalance in the democracy that no longer exists,” said Miguel Montenegro, director of the Human Rights Commission of El Salvador.
President Bukele remains wildly popular, credited by many Salvadorans for dramatically reducing gang violence through his controversial state of exception security strategy.
With the latest constitutional overhaul, Bukele joins a growing list of Latin American leaders who have extended their rule through legal reinterpretations and legislative reforms, often under the guise of public mandate or national security.
