El Salvador - February 2024
Nayib Bukele is reelected as El Salvador’s president
On 4 February, Nayib Bukele was re-elected as president by 84.6 per cent of cast votes. This is more than ten times the number of votes won by the second-place candidate. The Tribunal Supremo Electoral carried out a recount of 30 per cent of presidential ballots and all legislative votes, due to significant glitches in its results reporting software and website. Voter turnout was 52.6 per cent.
Bukele ran for a second term thanks to a 2021 Supreme Court decision that bypassed a constitutional prohibition on consecutive re-election.
His party, Nuevas Ideas, will obtain almost total control of the National Assembly (54 out of 60 congress members).
OAS observers highlighted that elections took place in peaceful conditions, although in the context of a nearly two year old “state of exception” that was said to have impacted free speech and competition. Also noted were technological, logistical and training shortcomings, which contributed to a significant delay in the transmission of results.
Compared to the last legislative elections, the number of women candidates increased from 36 to 39 per cent. Out of the other five presidential candidates only one, Ana Marina Murillo, is a woman.
Note: This report was updated on 18 March for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
Sources: El Faro, Tribunal Supremo Electoral, Organization of American States, The New York Times, El Pais (1) , Washington Post, El Pais (2), France 24, IFES
