02.08.2025 11:27
El Salvador's legislature recently approved a constitutional amendment eliminating presidential term limits, paving the way for President Nayib Bukele to potentially remain in power indefinitely. This significant shift also extends presidential terms from five to six years and abolishes the country's runoff election system.
The amendment passed with overwhelming support from Bukele's Nuevas Ideas party, securing 57 votes, while a mere three opposition lawmakers registered their dissent. This decisive victory allows Bukele to bypass existing constraints and solidify his control over El Salvador's political landscape, a concentration of power unseen in recent decades.
Critics vehemently denounced the reform, characterizing it as a death knell for democracy in El Salvador. Opposition MP Marcela Villatoro, from the Nationalist Republican Alliance, condemned the move, arguing that indefinite reelection fosters corruption, patronage, and ultimately discourages citizen engagement in governance. Similar sentiments were voiced by other opposition leaders, who predicted the establishment of a one-party state under Bukele's extended rule. Claudia Ortiz of the Vamos party labelled the amendment a blatant abuse of power, a profound violation of democratic principles. International human rights organizations have echoed these concerns.
Conversely, the ruling party defended the constitutional change, framing it as a restoration of power to the Salvadoran people. Suecy Callejas, First Vice President of the Legislative Assembly, proclaimed that the amendment rightfully returned power to its rightful owners – the citizens of El Salvador. Ernesto Castro, the Assembly's president, expressed gratitude to the lawmakers who supported the reform. The government's narrative positions the amendment as a reflection of popular will, a claim fiercely contested by the opposition. The long-term implications of this constitutional change on El Salvador's political stability and democratic institutions remain to be seen.
