Sun Aug 03 14:39:39 UTC 2025: **Summary of Text:**
El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele is defending constitutional reforms that allow him to seek indefinite re-election. Critics argue this move signifies growing authoritarianism, while Bukele claims it aligns El Salvador with practices in developed nations and parliamentary systems. The reforms, passed by a Congress dominated by Bukele’s party, also extend presidential terms. Bukele enjoys widespread domestic support for his anti-gang policies but faces international criticism for his human rights record, including supporting Trump’s deportation campaign and arresting critics. Opposition lawmakers and rights groups condemn the reforms as a death knell for democracy, while Bukele argues it’s a matter of being held to a double standard. El Salvador joins Nicaragua and Venezuela in Latin America with no presidential term limits.
**News Article:**
**Bukele Defends Indefinite Re-election Bid Amid Authoritarianism Accusations**
**San Salvador, El Salvador – August 3, 2025:** El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele is facing mounting criticism after defending constitutional reforms that grant him the right to seek indefinite re-election. The move, passed by a Congress controlled by Bukele’s New Ideas party, has sparked widespread condemnation from opposition figures and international human rights organizations, who argue it signifies a dangerous slide towards authoritarianism.
“Ninety% of developed countries allow the indefinite re-election of their head of government, and no one bats an eye,” Bukele stated on social media platform X, dismissing concerns as a double standard against a small, developing nation. He also pointed to the potential of a parliamentary monarchy.
The reforms, which also extend presidential terms from five to six years, follow a period marked by crackdowns on human rights defenders and government critics, leading to an exodus of journalists and humanitarian workers. One opposition lawmaker, Marcela Villatoro, lamented the reforms as signaling “the death of democracy in El Salvador.”
While Bukele maintains strong domestic support due to his tough stance against criminal gangs, his human rights record has been scrutinized internationally. He has notably backed former U.S. President Donald Trump’s deportation policies, accepting deported Venezuelan migrants and housing them in the controversial CECOT penitentiary.
Critics argue that Bukele’s actions consolidate near-total control over El Salvador’s institutions, effectively establishing a “dictatorship.” With these reforms, El Salvador joins Nicaragua and Venezuela as Latin American nations without presidential term limits.
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