El Salvador sets Feb 28 election as Bukele seeks third term

El Salvador is set to conduct presidential elections on February 28, according to the electoral tribunal. This move comes as the iron-fisted president Nayib Bukele seeks a third term in office. Bukele, who has been in power since 2019, recently amended the constitution to eliminate term limits and permit him to run indefinitely.

The 45-year-old leader has gained admiration throughout Latin America for his aggressive approach to combating crime. During a declared state of emergency in 2022, around 92,000 individuals were arrested and held without charge, primarily young men. Efforts to address the legal backlog have led to mass trials. While Bukele's crackdowns have significantly reduced crime rates to record lows, human rights organizations claim that widespread abuses, including torture, have taken place, potentially amounting to crimes against humanity.

Rejecting allegations of human rights violations, Bukele has dismissed the accusations as part of an attempt to portray his leadership as authoritarian. He has referred to himself as the "world's coolest dictator." Bukele secured his party's nomination to contest for a third term. If elected, his presidency would extend until 2033 under a new rule that increases the term from five years to six.

Former congresswoman Maytee Iraheta, representing the right-wing Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA), and union leader Rafael Aguirre, from the left-wing Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN), have declared their intentions to challenge Bukele in the upcoming election. Bukele's ascent to power marked the end of a three-decade period of alternating rule between ARENA and FMLN.