Salvadoran president announces he will run for re-election

El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele announced his intention to seek re-election as president of his country in a speech marking the 201st anniversary of independence.

In his speech, Bukele briefly reviewed his main achievements since taking office in 2019, such as deposing the attorney general, winning a majority in the Legislative Assembly, and his recent frontal confrontation against gangs.

“The only path El Salvador has is this one, and it works for us, we have tried it, and it works for us, and we will not give it up. We will not give it up no matter how many protests come from abroad,” Bukele said.

“That is why I announce to the Salvadoran people, after consulting with my wife and my family, that I have decided to run for the presidency of the Republic,” he added.

Bukele’s announcement to run again in elections set for February 2024 is possible thanks to an interpretation by the Constitutional Chamber that allowed this option for the first time in 2021.

The president made his announcement in a message broadcast over Cadena Nacional for the entire country, from the Presidential House, in the presence of representatives of the other branches of government and the diplomatic corps accredited to El Salvador.

Yesterday Bukele extended for the sixth time the state of emergency in his country, under which he has arrested more than 52,000 people whom the authorities associated with gang activity.