In a dramatic shift that has sparked both praise and concern, El Salvador’s lawmakers have passed a set of constitutional reforms that will allow President Nayib Bukele to seek re-election indefinitely—effectively removing presidential term limits.
The sweeping changes were rushed through congress in what many are calling an “expedited” legislative process. Among other things, the reforms extend presidential terms from five to six years and move the next general election to 2027, synchronizing presidential, legislative, and municipal votes.
President Bukele, who has been in office since 2019, has built a reputation as a tough crime-fighter—his crackdown on gang violence drastically reduced homicide rates and earned him immense popularity. But that same campaign has drawn fierce criticism from human rights advocates who point to mass arrests and alleged abuses under a state of emergency.
“Today, democracy has died in El Salvador,” lamented Marcela Villatoro, an opposition MP from the Republican National Alliance (Arena), reflecting fears of a growing authoritarian trend.
Despite these fears, the reform passed easily, backed by Bukele’s 57 allies in the Legislative Assembly. Only three lawmakers voted against it. Critics worry that with term limits gone and elections streamlined, El Salvador may be inching toward one-party rule.
The journey to this moment began in 2021 when the country’s top court—reshaped by Bukele’s loyalists—ruled that re-election was a “fundamental human right,” despite the constitution’s previous ban on back-to-back terms. That ruling laid the legal groundwork for Bukele’s 2024 re-election win and now, potentially, many more to come.
While many Salvadorans admire their president for restoring security, others fear that democratic checks and balances are being quietly dismantled.
As the world watches, El Salvador stands at a crossroads—caught between a deep desire for stability and a growing unease over power that seems increasingly unchecked.
