El Salvador’s ruling party on Sunday endorsed President Nayib Bukele for re-election next year, despite concerns about the legality of a second consecutive term.
The right-wing New Ideas (NI) party held an internal election with Bukele as the sole candidate. He was declared the winner by acclamation.
“New Ideas make it official that the winner for the presidential candidacy… is Mr. Nayib Armando Bukele Ortez,” Karen Gonzalez, head of the electoral committee of the party, told reporters.
Salvadoran law requires political parties to hold internal elections to select their presidential candidates for 2024 elections.
Bukele, 41, announced last September that he would seek another term in office after the Supreme Court allowed him to seek re-election. The decision sparked intense debate over its constitutionality.
The Salvadoran constitution imposes a single-term limit on candidates for presidential elections, barring anyone from running who “has served as President of the Republic for more than six months, consecutive or not” within the six months before the presidential period.
However, in 2021, Bukele’s administration replaced five Supreme Court judges and the attorney general — two institutions with which he had clashed — as well as a third of all the country’s judges.
The court then issued a resolution that allowed immediate presidential re-election, but critics believe the constitution prohibits that.
Rights groups, the United Nations, and the United States have all expressed alarm over arbitrary arrests, inhumane prison conditions and growing authoritarianism in El Salvador.
Bukele’s supporters argue that he is a strong leader who has brought peace and security to the country after years of gang violence. They point to his approval rating of more than 90 percent of the population as evidence of his popularity.
However, his critics say that he is a demagogue who is consolidating power and eroding democratic institutions. They fear that he could become a dictator if he is re-elected.
The 2024 elections are still a year away, but the race is already shaping up to be a close one. Bukele is the clear favorite, but his opponents are hoping to capitalize on the concerns about his authoritarian tendencies.
The outcome of the election will have a major impact on the future of El Salvador. If Bukele is re-elected, it will be a sign that the country is moving towards a more authoritarian future. However, if his opponents are able to defeat him, it could be a sign that the country is still committed to democracy.
Only time will tell what the future holds for El Salvador. But one thing is for sure: the 2024 elections will be a crucial moment in the country’s history.
