El Salvador Has Approved A Law That Allows The President To Have Indefinite Terms In Office
The Salvadoran congress — which is controlled by Bukele’s ruling party — voted 57 to 3 in favor of an amendment to the country's constitution that will allows the president to seek multiple consecutive terms.
Can a country have a president for life? Well, El Salvador has just approved a law that could allow the "world's coolest dictator" to have indefinite terms in office.
42-year-old Nayib Bukele, who is perhaps best known for introducing Bitcoin as an official currency, is undeniably popular in El Salvador for having tackled the country’s gang problem.
However, since he took power in 2019, he has been accused of consolidating power into a single party, pushing the country into a dictatorship and violating human rights.
In 2022, he declared a state of emergency after 87 people were killed in gang violence over a single weekend.
This gave police the power to arrest people without warrants and detain them without court approval, leading to a mass arrests.
Police have reported arresting over 86,000 people, including over 3,000 children many of whom have no ties to gangs, according to Human Rights Watch.
He then opened Latin America’s largest prison, CECOT, a mega prison that can house approximately 40,000 inmates, to tackle the country’s gang problem.
But inmates inside CECOT reportedly face harsh conditions such as overcrowding, a lack of basic amenities and reports of torture and ill-treatment.
In 2024, Bukele ran for re-election for a second consecutive term, despite the country’s constitution banning it.
The top court, filled with judges backed by Bukele, had allowed him to run again on the condition that he leave the presidency six months before the start of the next term.
Despite the controversy and the inconsistencies in the votes, Bukele began his second presidential term on June 1, 2024, making him the first president to seek re-election in El Salvador since the 1930s.
Now, on Thursday, July 31, the Salvadoran congress — which is controlled by Bukele’s ruling party — voted 57 to 3 in favor of an amendment to the country's constitution that will allows the president to seek multiple consecutive terms.
The new law would :
- Allow the president to be reelected for indefinite terms, paving the way for Bukele to run for a third term.
- Extend the presidential term from five to six years.
- Eliminate election run-offs, meaning future presidential candidates can win by a simple majority from the first round instead of having to reach the 50% threshold.
Ruling party lawmakers have said the reform will help "reduce election costs", bring "greater stability" and allow Salvadorans to continue to support the president they approve of.
Opposition lawmakers and human rights groups have slammed the bill, saying it is an abuse of power and a danger to democracy.
The changes will be implemented in the upcoming elections in 2027.
If he runs again, Bukele would be able to remain in office until at least 2033 — and perhaps many years after that, according to Reuters.
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Sofia Hou
Sofia Hou
Sofia Hou
