Preelection: Presidencial and Legislative elections in El Salvador
Political AnalisysThis February 4, Salvadorans will head to the polls to elect the President for the 2024-2029 term. Although 6 candidates are running, opinion polls predict that the incumbent President, Nayib Bukele (Nuevas Ideas), will be reelected by a wide margin.
Although the Constitution does not contemplate this possibility, the Judiciary branch allowed his candidacy. The Legislative Assembly will also be renewed for the next three years, where 60 seats are up for grabs. The ruling party is seeking to increase its current absolute majority, which would allow Bukele to deepen his government’s agenda.
These elections will take place under a regime of exception, a constitutional instrument that suspends a number of rights and constitutional guarantees in order to combat organized crime. Despite allegations of human rights violations, it is one of the most popular measures of the Bukele government.