Leader of El Salvador takes electoral leave

In El Salvador, Congress accepted President Nayib Bukele’s authorization to run again, despite constitutional debates in the country.

Congress voted on Bukele’s decision, nominated for a second five-year term by the New Ideas Party led by the president, to take a six-month leave to direct his electoral campaign. 67 of the members of Congress approved it, while 12 opposed it.

In this case, Congress, which accepted that both Bukele and the current vice president Félix Ulloa are on leave to participate in the campaigns, also approved that private secretary Claudia Juana Rodríguez de Guevara assume the position of President until May 30.

The New Ideas Party did not take into account the objections of lawyers and the opposition that it was not constitutional for the President to run for office again and nominated Bukele in the general elections scheduled for February 4, 2024.

Some lawyers objected to the candidacy of Bukele, who announced in September that he would run for a second five-year term, claiming it was unconstitutional.

El Salvador, one of the countries with the highest homicide rate in the world, is experiencing serious security problems due to the power of gangs in the country. In order to reduce crime rates in the country, on March 27, 2022, a state of emergency (OHAL) was declared for one month, a decision that was subsequently renewed every month.

Bukele has been criticized for the suspension of fundamental rights for more than a year after the state of emergency. (AA)