Activists and opposition leaders have warned that El Salvador is following Venezuela’s path towards dictatorship after the Central American country’s congress scrapped presidential term limits. The change allows President Nayib Bukele to seek indefinite re-election.
Opposition Congresswoman Marcela Villatoro called the move a “death blow” to democracy, saying that it will lead to authoritarianism and warning that it can take years to recover. Loyalists of Bukele, however, celebrated the reforms, which also extend presidential terms from five to six years and advance the 2029 election to 2027.
Bukele’s concentration of power has horrified activists and opposition politicians. Human Rights Watch’s Americas director Juanita Goebertus compared El Salvador’s move to Venezuela’s 2009 referendum, which approved similar term limits for President Hugo Chávez. Now, 16 years later, Chávez’s heir Nicolás Maduro remains in power.
Critics believe Bukele will not honour his pledge not to seek re-election, joining a list of authoritarian leaders like Maduro and Daniel Ortega. The opposition fears that El Salvador is sliding into dictatorship, mirroring Venezuela’s path.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/01/el-salvador-bukele-presidential-term-limits