El Salvador President Nayib Bukele has officially filed paperwork to run for re-election in the country’s upcoming 2024 presidential election in February. Bukele, known for being a strong advocate for Bitcoin, received widespread support from the public after his party nominated him for a second term. In a speech in front of thousands of El Salvadorans, Bukele declared, “Five more [years], five more and not one step back. We need five years to continue improving our country.”
Bukele rose to power in 2019 when his political party, New Ideas, ended three decades of two-party dominance in El Salvador. However, some critics, such as El Salvadoran lawyer Alfonso Fajardo, argue that the country’s constitution prohibits Bukele from seeking a second consecutive term. Fajardo stated, “Today is a good day to remember that immediate presidential re-election is prohibited up to 7 times by the Constitution.”
Despite the criticism, El Salvador’s Supreme Court ruled in September 2021 that presidents can run for consecutive elections, paving the way for Bukele’s re-election bid. According to a study by an El Salvadoran university, New Ideas enjoys the support of 70% of the country’s voting population, while its closest competitor only received 4% of the total votes.
One of Bukele’s competitors, the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMNLB), filed a lawsuit in June 2021 contesting Bukele’s Bitcoin adoption program, claiming it is unconstitutional. However, the complaint made little progress as Bukele and El Salvador made Bitcoin legal tender three months later in September 2021. The Bukele government has also implemented other tech-friendly policies, such as eliminating all taxes on technological innovations, with the aim of strengthening the country’s economy.
Bukele’s popularity stems from his tough stance against MS-13, a multinational gang that significantly contributed to El Salvador experiencing the highest homicide rates in the world six years ago. Through his crackdown on the gang, El Salvador’s homicide rate has fallen by 92.6% from its peak in 2015. As a result, the country now has one of the lowest crime rates in Latin America.
However, Bukele’s administration has faced criticism from the United Nations and other human rights organizations for alleged breaches of human rights laws. They argue that El Salvador has imprisoned 65,000 individuals without affording them proper legal rights to defend themselves.
The presidential election in El Salvador is scheduled to take place on February 4, 2024. Bukele’s re-election campaign is expected to focus on his achievements in combating crime and implementing tech-friendly policies, as well as his support for Bitcoin and its potential benefits for the country’s economy.
Source link