El Salvador President Nayib Bukele countered criticism directed to the country after the unlimited reelection approval. The agent denied that the approval of the project constituted the “end of democracy” and stressed that his country was the target of criticism because of being “small and poor”.
“90% of developed countries allow the indefinite reelection of their head of government, and no one bothers,” Bukele said on Sunday (3).
“But when a small, poor country like El Salvador tries to do the same, suddenly it is the end of democracy,” the president mocked. “They will certainly hurry to point out that ‘a parliamentary system is not the same as a presidential’, as if this technicism justifies the double standard. But we are honest, this is no more than a pretext.”
For Bukele, if his country became a parliamentary monarchy “with exactly the same rules as the UK, Spain or Denmark”, criticism would follow the same way.
“Because the problem is not the system, but the fact that a poor country dares to act like a sovereign country. It is assumed that you should not do what they do. It is assumed that you should do what they say. And if you expect you to stay in your place,” he said.
Known worldwide as the creator of the largest prison on the American continent, with a capacity of 40,000 detainees, Bukele, is one of the most popular heads of state in the world. In the last election, in 2023, the agent was reelected with time off.
Considered a young leader, Bukele held the federal position for the first time in 2019, which began a drastic change in the country’s institutional functioning, especially in the security area, which earned him strong popular support.
Last Thursday, the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador, dominated by his party, the new ideas (Ni), approved and ratified a reform that allows the indefinite presidential reelection in the country.
Ratification amends articles 75, 80, 133, 152 and 154 of the Magna Salvadorenha Carta, which also nullifies the second round of elections and increases the presidential term to six years.
The amendment had already been approved on Thursday at the weekly legislative session, and President Salvadoran sent the document for publication in the Official Gazette. With proof of publication, the governor party presented, in a new session, the request for ratification, which was voted in minutes and was supported by 57 of the 60 deputies.
“It is up to ratify the Constitutional Reform Agreement,” says the approved decree, which includes a “transient disposition to enable reforms.”
