4d ago

El Salvador approves indefinite presidential reelection, extends presidential terms

www.npr.org /2025/07/31/nx-s1-5488299/el-salvador-approves-indefinite-presidential-reelection-extends-presidential-terms

The party of El Salvador President Nayib Bukele approved constitutional changes in the country's National Assembly on Thursday that will allow indefinite presidential reelection and extend presidential terms to six years.

Lawmaker Ana Figueroa from the New Ideas party had proposed the changes to five articles of the constitution. The proposal also included eliminating the second round of the election where the two top vote-getters from the first round face off.

New Ideas and its allies in the National Assembly quickly approved the proposals with the supermajority they hold. The vote passed with 57 in favor and three opposed.

Bukele overwhelmingly won reelection last year despite a constitutional ban, after Supreme Court justices selected by his party ruled in 2021 that it allowed reelection to a second five-year term.

44 comments

Of course.
If you've ever seen any interview with Bukele it becomes immediately apparent he's just another dictator wannabe who was very lucky to accidentally do something good immediately after being elected for the first time. Now he's riding that wave until he re-ruins the country again.
He doesn't even understand why his policy worked. He just repeats the "tough on crime" bullshit.
- Genuine question: Why did his policy work?
  
  He treated the situation as a civil war rather than a criminal matter. What do you do in war? You go after all enemy combatants, you don't try to determine if one specific soldier killed any of yours. Anyone in enemy uniform is a legitimate target unless they surrender.
  El Salvador gangs do have specific ways of visually distinguishing themselves even if those are not traditional uniforms. Of course there are people wearing the same clothes and tattoos just because they think it's cool, but that is unfortunately a darwin award case.
  In this context the captured are not in prison but in a POW camp. What he's missing is an exit strategy. Eventually you have to establish a permanent peace and release the POWs under some conditions. Not to mention obey the Geneva Convention which enumerates some rights. That's why he's always framing it as being tough on criminals.
  
  He threw everyone in jail, guilty, innocent, didn’t matter. Those innocents were worth it according to Salvadorans. He lowered crime rates by suspending liberties. You know who else did that? Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, etc
  
  Because Bukele abolished the law and effectively turned the government of El Salvador into one giant gang. Of which the results now become rather apparent.
  His rival cartels did not stand a chance.
  
  He made a deal with some gangs and imprisoned the others. And any and all critics of his.
It certainly seems like democracy as a political system is being replaced by authoritarianism worldwide.
I don't know if we can reverse the trend without some kind of disastrous world war that will inevitably result when world-altering decisions rest in the hands of just a few men.
- In the case of El Salvador it was always meddled with by the US, as in many other countries in South and Middle America. The US would only let "deomcracy" run its course, if the outcome was favourable to the US administration and US businesses.
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvadoran_Civil_War
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvadoran_presidential_election,_2004#Foreign_interference
  https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/04/la-cooperacion-represiva-entre-eeuu-y-el-salvador/
- when world-altering decisions rest in the hands of just a few men.
  Welcome to... most of human history? I mean even now you have China and Russia among others as candidates for world-altering decision-making few men.
- Sounds like its world war time then. Democracy needs us!
As a Salvadoran, fuck this guy, I hope he ends up in his own gulag
Lots of "world leaders" masturbating on this news article.
- Might as well call him President Bukake
Focusing just on the constitutional changes: it's a bad sign when your constitution can be changed by a single political party.
In El Salvador's case they have a unicameral legislature and Bukele's party has 54 of the 60 seats. So, there's no way to prevent this by requiring a bigger supermajority.
But, it seems like since a constitution is meant to last as long as the country exists, amendments to it should have to be reaffirmed or they get automatically repealed. So, there's an automatic re-vote after 5, 10 and 20 years or something.
If they had done that with prohibition in the US they wouldn't have needed the 21st amendment to repeal prohibition, they could just have decided not to continue the 18th which established prohibition.
With a dictator as president, and absolute control over the legislature, I would bet that those guys are also going to make it impossible for any other person to win a presidential election, or any other party to win the legislature. And then, the only way to restore democracy will be a coup or an uprising.
- As a counter point, the US would have to re-vote for the 14th Amendment.
  As a counter counter point also the 2nd.
  You know, I think I like the established way of doing amendments - passes by Congress and a plurality of the states.
  
  Rewriting the 2nd seems like a very smart idea to me.
- But, it seems like since a constitution is meant to last as long as the country exists, amendments to it should have to be reaffirmed or they get automatically repealed. So, there's an automatic re-vote after 5, 10 and 20 years or something.
  That would pretty much go against the point of a constitution. It's meant to be both extremely hard to change it and extremely hard to revert changes put in as a matter of how it's done(though never impossible -that would be bad).
  You can only put as many safeguards in as possible to prevent dictatorships, but if they control more than 2/3 of the government your screwed no matter what laws you have on the book
  
  if they control more than 2/3 of the government [you'rre] screwed
  That's why I think confirming after 5, 10 years might be a good idea. A supermajority is rare. Unless the supermajority screws with the laws to guarantee they stay in power, the next congress might have enough votes to undo any meddling they did. If they do cement their power, then you're screwed either way.
Another usa ally not sanctionned for human right abuses
- Instead, invited to the White House, admired and celebrated, and used as a model for the USA's own dictatorship and gulags.
Salvadorians, enjoy your dictator for life
Oh that’s why Trump likes him.
The party of El Salvador President Nayib Bukele approved constitutional changes in the country’s National Assembly on Thursday that will allow indefinite presidential reelection and extend presidential terms to six years.
USA right now: Don't get any ideas, Trump!
- Too late. He's had that idea since his first term.
How many US-backed dictators does this make for them now? Three?
- But many more civil wars.
  Though now that poverty isn't as bad there, not sure if there'll be another. Then again, the French burning cities is as constant as Salvadorians going to war with their government.
  Too bad the fucking USA keeps intervening.
This is where we are headed. Foxtrot Delta Taco.
- No it's going be Vance who becomes the dictator. They are slowly waiting, Trump on the down hill. He just waiting for his chance.
  
  Vance preparing the ol' Pope treatment
So they just voted to - well, not quite dismantle democracy but at least open the doors wide for dismantling it.
Almost unanimously.
That's so fucked up.
- With thunderous applause
Scratching that place off the bucket list. Thank you.
Trunps best friend
Who’s next?
- US, obviously.
Generalissimo por la vida

44 comments