El Salvador President Bukele to Run for a Third Term Following Controversial Reform
Key Points
- Nayib Bukele was nominated for a third term by the ruling Nuevas Ideas party for the elections next February.
- Bukele pulled crime rates in the country to historic lows with his tough security policies against gangs.
- The current constitutional process was made possible by Congress removing the consecutive term limit in July 2025.
- The political opposition and international human rights organizations criticize this initiative as a weakening of democracy and human rights violations.
By the Numbers
El Salvador President Nayib Bukele was nominated for a third six-year term by the ruling Nuevas Ideas party in the elections to be held next February. The leader, who has been in power since 2019, was officially declared a candidate again in the internal elections held on Sunday, as the sole candidate of his party.
44-year-old Bukele gained massive public support by reducing crime rates in the country to historic lows thanks to the war on gangs. The country's declaration of a state of exception and the dismantling of gangs brought security to El Salvador, once one of the most violent countries in the world.
However, Bukele's re-candidacy brought concerns about democracy following the removal of the consecutive two-term limit by Congress in July 2025. While international organizations reported that the fight against gangs came at the expense of human rights violations and restricted freedoms, the small opposition wing described the situation as the end of democracy.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- How was it possible for Nayib Bukele to run for a third term?
- Bukele's re-candidacy was made possible by Congress approving the reform removing the consecutive two-term limit for the presidency in July 2025.
- What is the main reason for Bukele's immense popularity in El Salvador?
- Bukele gained broad public support by significantly reducing violent crime through the state of exception policies he implemented in the country and the war he launched against gangs.
- What kind of criticisms have been directed against Bukele's candidacy?
- While opposition parties described the situation as the end of democracy, international organizations stated that the security policies violate human rights and restrict freedoms.
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- ABC Color·