This week, the U.S. State Department refrained from commenting on significant constitutional changes in El Salvador, particularly the removal of presidential term limits. They emphasized the country’s sovereignty and disagreed with comparisons to other dictatorial regimes.
In a statement to the Spanish news agency EFE, the State Department responded to reports that El Salvador’s legislative assembly had voted to amend the national constitution. The nation has had a presidency since 1841, but this structure has now been altered. The reforms also got rid of a requirement that presidential candidates secure more than 50% of the votes to win outright, or face a second round against the runner-up.
President Nayib Bukele first took office in 2019 and is set to run for a second term in February 2024. He plans to resign shortly before the elections to circumvent term limits. Bukele won his first election with a striking 85% of the vote, avoiding the need for a second round thanks to the American National Organization (OAS) declaring the election to be free and fair, describing him as “unsuspecting” in his victory.
His popularity stems largely from an effective campaign against organized crime, a major issue for many Salvadorans. Still, concerns linger that he might seek indefinite re-election and undermine democracy, despite international observers considering the elections just. Notably, the main opposition newspaper, El Faro, has openly labeled Bukele a dictator. In commentary, the New York Times pointed out historical parallels to Fidel Castro’s rise to power in Cuba.
Surprisingly, the Trump administration seemed unconcerned with these developments in their comments to EFE.
Related: “Why are those numbers not in the media?” Bukele surprised Trump for securing the border.
The State Department stated, “The Legislative Assembly in El Salvador was democratically elected to promote the interests and policies of the electors. The decision to make constitutional changes is theirs.” They added that it was up to El Salvador to determine how to govern themselves.
The State Department also rejected comparisons of El Salvador’s legislative process with the “unlawful dictatorship in other parts of our region.”
Bukele himself addressed the backlash against lifting term limits, suggesting that wealthier nations impose unfair expectations on smaller countries. “Ninety percent of developed countries allow indefinite re-election, and nobody bats an eye. But when a small, poor country like El Salvador tries to do the same, it suddenly becomes a threat to democracy,” he remarked in a social media post.
He highlighted that many criticized countries lack term limits for heads of government and argued, “If El Salvador declared itself a parliamentary monarchy like Britain or Spain, they still wouldn’t support it.”
“The issue isn’t the system, but the fact that poorer countries dare to assert sovereignty,” he concluded, suggesting there’s an expectation that such nations should simply comply with existing power structures.
Bukele’s administration has enjoyed a favorable relationship with the Trump administration and has faced criticism from Biden’s administration, especially around issues of gang violence. Bukele was notably frustrated in 2022 when the Biden administration received kudos for supporting his anti-gang initiatives.
The president pointed out, “Yes, we received support from the U.S. government to combat crime during the Trump administration,” adding that the current administration “is only supportive of gangs.”
Related: “They Don’t Employ Day” Bukele awakens Trump and madness while promoting women in his cabinet.
During his visit to the 2024 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), Bukele mentioned that El Salvador is “not a priority” for the Biden administration, which he feels has shown little interest in collaboration from the beginning.
While his relationship with Trump has had its share of tension, he once responded to Trump’s criticism during a Republican National Convention speech, which claimed if he ran a Central American nation, he would “be worse than any of them.” Despite this, Bukele chose not to lash out and congratulated Trump following his victory in November.
In April, during a visit to the White House, Bukele expressed his country’s willingness to help Washington in any way possible. Trump commended Bukele for his leadership, remarking on the “great work” being done in El Salvador.
