The Salvadoran Congress is moving forward with a reform that restores prominence to the popular vote
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On a day that marks a turning point for Salvadoran politics, the Legislative Assembly approved with 57 votes in favor—out of a total of 60—a constitutional reform that enables indefinite presidential reelection, extends the presidential term from five to six years, and eliminates the runoff election.
The change was driven by the ruling party Nuevas Ideas, led by current president Nayib Bukele, along with its legislative allies. The measure was approved within the framework of a solid parliamentary majority that reflects the popular support garnered by the ruling party at the polls.
Nayib Bukele.
The details of the reform.
The reform amends articles 75, 80, 133, 152, and 154 of the Constitution and constitutes a decisive step in the reconfiguration of the Salvadoran political system. One of the key points is the elimination of the restriction that prohibited the immediate reelection of the head of state.
In addition, the elimination of the presidential runoff seeks to simplify the electoral process and avoid the institutional strain of a double instance that often ends up distorting the popular will.
During the parliamentary debate, ruling party deputy Ana Figueroa justified the initiative by recalling that "historically, reelection has always existed in El Salvador for almost all popularly elected positions without prohibitions" and defended the measure as a tool to "give total power to the Salvadoran people".
La diputada Figueroa.
The opposition protests against the reform.
The opposition, numerically reduced in Congress, expressed its rejection without being able to influence the outcome. From the ARENA party, deputy Marcela Villatoro stated to the press that "democracy has died in El Salvador today" and described the approval process as "crude and cynical".
Despite the criticism, the reform still must be approved by a subsequent legislature, as established by the Salvadoran constitutional procedure. However, since the Nuevas Ideas bloc keeps a broad majority in Parliament, ratification is expected to proceed without major obstacles in the coming months.
In electoral terms, the change allows Bukele to run again as a presidential candidate in the elections scheduled for 2027, even though his current term ends in 2029.
Nayib Bukele.
Bukele, the man who changed his country's history.
The approval of this reform is not an isolated event. It takes place in a political context in which Bukele's government has advanced an agenda of reforms that openly questions the inherited institutional model.
Since taking office in 2019, the Executive has promoted judicial, electoral, and constitutional changes that have dismantled traditional power structures, often tied to partisan interests, foreign non-governmental organizations, and multilateral bodies.
In September 2021, for example, the Constitutional Chamber enabled immediate reelection, reversing previous criteria that considered it unconstitutional. The current reform only legally consolidates that possibility, eliminating ambiguities and opening the way for the future.
Meanwhile, human rights organizations and certain international observers continue to issue warnings about an alleged "concentration of power," repeating the old mantras that have often served to halt processes of deep transformation in Latin America.
Bukele se reúne con su par argentino Javier Milei en 2024.
