SAN SALVADOR (Reuters) – President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador officially submitted his candidacy for re-election next year, defying concerns about his constitutional eligibility for a consecutive term.
At the age of 42, Bukele, who enjoys strong public support, announced his intention to run in the presidential election scheduled for February. However, critics question his ability to seek a second term due to a constitutional prohibition.
Despite the controversy, the country’s top court, whose judges were appointed by the president’s New Ideas party-controlled Congress, ruled that Bukele could run in 2021.
Bukele, the former mayor of San Salvador and a prominent advocate for bitcoin, broke the longstanding dominance of the two-party system in Salvadoran politics with his victory in 2019.
A recent poll conducted by the Center for Citizen Studies at the Francisco Gavidia University revealed that New Ideas enjoys nearly 70% support, while its closest competitor only garners just over 4%.
Bukele’s popularity primarily stems from his aggressive crackdown on violent gangs in the Central American country, resulting in the arrest of over 75,000 suspected gang members. This policy has led to a significant decrease in violent crime since its implementation early last year.
However, certain rights groups argue that the frequently used “state of exception” violates fundamental due process rights, resulting in the arrest and imprisonment of innocent individuals who are unable to mount a legal defense.
(Reporting by Nelson Renteria; Editing by David Alire Garcia and Stephen Coates)
