El Salvador's far-right president says unlimited re-election "is not the end of democracy"
Nayib Bukele says the system is criticized only because it was adopted by a "small and poor" nation.
247 - In a social media post on Sunday (3), El Salvador’s far-right president, Nayib Bukele, reacted to international criticism of his government’s approval of indefinite presidential re-election. According to him, the change does not represent the “end of democracy,” as several human rights organizations claim, but rather a reflection of the country’s sovereignty.
“Ninety percent of developed countries allow the indefinite re-election of their head of government, and nobody cares. But when a small, poor country like El Salvador tries to do the same, suddenly it’s the end of democracy,” Bukele wrote in English on X (formerly Twitter), according to the Folha de S. Paul.
The statement comes just days after the Salvadoran Legislative Assembly, controlled by his New Ideas party, approved a constitutional amendment authorizing unlimited re-elections, extending presidential terms from five to six years, and eliminating second rounds in elections. The measure, considered by critics as a milestone in the advance of authoritarianism in the country, paves the way for Bukele, re-elected in 2024, to remain in power without legal restrictions.
In the same publication, according to the report, Bukele mocked those who argue that parliamentary systems cannot be compared to presidential systems. “Of course, they will rush to point out that 'a parliamentary system is not the same as a presidential one,' as if this technicality justified the double standard. But let's be honest, this is nothing more than a pretext,” he wrote.
Since taking office in 2019, Bukele has concentrated power with popular support, especially after declaring war on gangs in 2022, which drastically reduced violence rates. However, organizations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch (HRW), and the Washington Office on Latin American Affairs (WOLA) argue that the government's measures undermine the rule of law. These entities have classified the constitutional reform as a "deadly blow" to democracy and a "manipulation of the Constitution" to perpetuate power.
Bukele, an ally of US President Donald Trump, has reinforced authoritarian measures since the Republican's return to the White House. According to Reuters, the Cristosal NGO, one of the most respected in the country, withdrew 20 employees from El Salvador in recent weeks in the face of increased repression. Other entities and media outlets critical of the government are also suffering increasing pressure in an atmosphere of intimidation.
The Salvadoran president further argued that if his country adopted rules similar to those of parliamentary monarchies like the United Kingdom, Spain, or Denmark, it would still be the target of criticism. “Because the problem isn’t the system, but the fact that a poor country dares to act like a sovereign nation. You’re supposed not to do what they do. You’re supposed to do what they say. And you’re expected to stay in your lane,” he declared.
In practice, El Salvador is now allowing something rare in presidential systems: unlimited re-election. In the parliamentary model, as adopted in European countries, remaining in the office of prime minister depends on the support of a majority in Parliament, after elections between parties or coalitions. In presidential systems, however, the population votes directly for the president—and term limits are usually a pillar of democratic control.
