President Nayib Bukele announced this week that in the coming days he will formally ask Congress for approval of a license that would allow him to run for re-election. El Salvador will hold presidential elections on February 4, 2024.
The Electoral Tribunal approved Bukele's candidacy earlier this month. In a televised speech, Bukele declared that he was formally requesting leave to devote himself to his campaign, but did not name who will replace him, starting Dec. 1, for the remaining six months of his term, which ends on June <>.
While critics question the legality of Bukele's re-election, who is seeking a second consecutive term, citing a constitutional ban, the country's highest court ruled that he could run in 2021. The judges on that court were appointed by Congress, which is dominated by Bukele's New Ideas party.
According to a recent poll, Bukele can comfortably win the 2024 election, largely due to his popularity stemming from a year-long anti-gang policy that has drastically reduced crime but has led to a rise in arbitrary arrests and persecution of activists and human rights defenders.