LATIN AMERICA ADVISOR

LATIN AMERICA ADVISOR

A daily publication Of the dialogue

May 16, 2024

Will Constitutional Changes Help Keep Bukele in Power?

El Salvador’s Legislative Assembly recently approved changes that make it easier to amend the country’s constitution. // File Photo: Salvadoran Government.

Q

A

Christine Wade, professor of political science and international studies at Washington College in Chestertown, Md.: “Recent legislation makes it significantly easier to amend the constitution by eliminating the one requirement in place to ensure that constitutional amendments reflect popular will across election cycles. Article 248, which will likely be one of the reform’s first victims, was intended to prevent capriciousness from any single legislature. By eliminating the requirement that constitutional amendments be approved by a two-thirds majority of the next legislature, opportunities for debate and popular consultation have been effectively eliminated. In practical terms, this will enable Bukele’s New Ideas party (and, of course, any future party with a supermajority) to amend the constitution quickly and further consolidate the president’s control of the government and undermine what remains of…”

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The Inter-American Dialogue publishes the Latin America Advisor every business day for a distinguished membership of informed corporate leaders, scholars, and government officials invested in Latin America’s development and future. The Advisor‘s highly regarded Q&A section covers questions submitted by subscribers themselves. Commentators regularly include heads of state, business leaders, diplomats, economists, analysts, and thought leaders from around the world. Many of the world’s largest and fastest-growing companies subscribe to the Advisor. To subscribe, click here. For terms and conditions, click here. For more information, contact Gene Kuleta, editor of the Advisor, at gkuleta@thedialogue.org.

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Goette-Luciak
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Merike Blofield
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Devry Boughner Vorwerk
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Nicolas Mariscal
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Ernesto Revilla
Head of Latin American Economics, Citi

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