dinero_admin The United States government expressed its support for the constitutional reform in El Salvador that endorses indefinite presidential reelection, which could allow President Nayib Bukele to seek a third consecutive term.
This support comes amid a regional debate over the legitimacy of the legislative process. A State Department spokesperson in Washington told EFE that El Salvador’s Legislative Assembly was democratically elected to promote the interests of its voters, so the decision on constitutional changes is a matter of national sovereignty.
Furthermore, the US official categorically rejected comparisons of the salvadoran legislative process with those of other dictatorial regimes in the region, calling it democratic and constitutionally sound. El Salvador’s Legislative Assembly ratified the constitutional reform last friday, which also extends the presidential term to six years and eliminates the second round of elections, further deepening the changes to the country’s political system.
Although Nayib Bukele enjoys high popularity, he has not made public his intention to run for a third term, even though the approved reform offers him this legal possibility, a fact that keeps salvadoran and international public opinion on edge.
Washington’s stance underscores the importance it places on stability and respect for the internal decisions of El Salvador, a key ally in the region, and demonstrates a clear distance from criticism that the reform could weaken the Central American country’s institutions.
