El Salvador’s Assembly Approves Indefinite Presidential Re-election

San Salvador, El Salvador – The Legislative Assembly of El Salvador approved a constitutional reform on Thursday, allowing for indefinite presidential re-election. This move eliminates previous bans and could potentially extend President Nayib Bukele‘s time in office.

The reform was passed with the support of 57 votes from Bukele’s party, Nuevas Ideas (NI), and its allies. The changes revise articles 75, 80, 133, 152, and 154 of the Salvadoran Constitution, which previously prohibited immediate re-election. The new law also extends the presidential term from five to six years, removes the second round requirement in presidential elections, and adjusts the current presidential term end date from 2029 to 2027 to align with local and legislative elections.

Deputy Ana Figueroa, a member of the ruling party, emphasized the public’s role in deciding on their leaders, stating, “Only you will decide how long you support your president and all elected officials.”

However, opposition Deputy Marcela Villatoro criticized the reform, declaring, “They have removed their masks. This is a public confession of killing democracy disguised as legality. This is the chronicle of a foretold death that has been in the making for several years in this Legislative Assembly.”

The approval of this reform raises concerns about the future of democratic processes in El Salvador.