Latin America Advisor 2025-08-20 – Inter-American Dialogue

LATIN AMERICA ADVISOR

A daily publication Of the dialogue

August 20, 2025

Why Is El Salvador Allowing Indefinite Presidential Terms?

El Salvador’s Legislative Assembly, which is dominated by President Nayib Bukele’s party, last month approved the scrapping of presidential term limits. // File Photo: Salvadoran Government.

Q

El Salvador’s Legislative Assembly on July 31 overwhelmingly approved constitutional changes that will allow indefinite presidential re-election and also extend the president’s term from five to six years, the Associated Press reported. Lawmakers in the unicameral body voted 57-3 in favor of the measure amid support from President Nayib Bukele. To what extent does indefinite presidential re-election pose a threat to the composition and stability of El Salvador’s democratic institutions? What is the significance of the timing of the move? What does the move mean for investment in El Salvador and for the country’s businesses and economy?

A

Gustavo A. Flores-Macías, professor of government and public policy at Cornell University: “El Salvador’s constitutional reform allowing indefinite presidential re-election, extending the presidential term from five to six years, and eliminating electoral runoffs is another important step in President Nayib Bukele’s consolidation of executive power. The reform formalizes what the country’s Supreme Court had already ruled in 2021: that it was Bukele’s human right to run for president without term limits. The reform also eliminated one of the few remaining checks on President Bukele’s power, since his party, Nuevas Ideas, and its allies already control the Legislative Assembly and the Supreme Court. By removing constraints on presidential term limits, personalistic rule and the incumbent’s electoral advantage are reinforced. Extending the duration of the presidential term to six years also…”

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Diego Arria
Director,
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Merike Blofield
Professor of Political Science,
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Devry Boughner Vorwerk
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Joyce Chang
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Barbara Kotschwar
Professor of Political Economy,
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US Education Finance Group

Nicolas Mariscal
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Grupo Marhnos

Thomas F. McLarty III
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Beatrice Rangel
Director,
AMLA Consulting

Ernesto Revilla
Head of Latin American Economics, Citi

Gustavo Roosen
President,
IESA

Andrés Rozental
President, Rozental &
Asociados

Shelly Shetty
Managing Director,
Sovereigns, Fitch

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