El Salvador scraps term limits, boosting Nayib Bukele

El Salvador opposition lawmaker Marcela Villatoro criticizes abolition of presidential term limits

'Today, democracy has died in El Salvador,' said opposition legislator Marcela Villatoro

(Image credit: Marvin Recinos / AFP via Getty Images)

What happened

El Salvador's Legislative Assembly Thursday approved constitutional changes that will allow presidents to seek reelection an indefinite number of times, extend presidential terms to six years from five, and scrap presidential runoff votes.

Who said what

The legislation will allow Bukele to "further consolidate the almost total power he already holds in the impoverished Central American country," The Wall Street Journal said, citing opponents and analysts. President since 2019, Bukele won reelection last year "with almost 85% of the vote after the country's high court, stacked with loyalists," allowed him to ignore the constitution's clear prohibition on seeking a second term.

"Today, democracy has died in El Salvador," said opposition legislator Marcela Villatoro. Ana Figueroa, the lawmaker from Bukele's party who introduced the constitutional changes, said they would give El Salvador's voters the "power to decide how long you support your president." Bukele, 44, "remains one of the most popular leaders in the region, largely due to his across-the-board crackdown on gangs," Reuters said. An estimated "75,000 people have been arrested under emergency measures that have been repeatedly extended," the BBC said.

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What next?

A "second vote of the legislature" is required before the constitutional changes can be ratified, the Journal said.

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.