SAN SALVADOR, EL SALVADOR (AP) – President Nayib Bukele announced on Thursday night on El Salvador’s Independence Day that he will seek re-election to a second five-year term.
Bukele’s anticipated announcement came one year after the new justices of the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court appointed by his allies in the Legislative Assembly ordered the Supreme Electoral Court to allow consecutive re-election despite the country’s constitutional ban.
Constitutional lawyers have said re-election violates at least four articles of the constitution, including one that limits the presidential term to five years and states that the person who serves as president will not continue in their functions for one day more.
The president enjoys extremely high popularity among Salvadorans, though he has faced growing criticism from human rights groups and foreign governments about his concentration of power.
Bukele, whose current term ends in 2024, made the announcement during a televised speech with his wife at his side. The president of the Supreme Court and the attorney general also were present for the speech.
