El Salvador erupted in celebrations as President declared a landslide first-round victory for his re-election bid, attributing success to his aggressive anti-gang measures. Bukele asserted a remarkable triumph, claiming over 85 percent of the presidential vote and his party, Nuevas Ideas, securing 58 out of 60 parliamentary seats. This victory speech, delivered before the official results, emphasized Bukele's perceived historic lead in democratic presidential elections globally.
Partial results from the Supreme Electoral Tribunal affirmed Bukele's dominance with nearly 83 percent of the votes. The president, lauded for his crackdown on gangs, declared El Salvador as the first country with a "one-party system in a democracy." Bukele's controversial tactics, including mass arrests and a massive new prison, have significantly reduced the country's once-dire homicide rates.
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Critics, including Amnesty International, raise concerns about alleged state violence and arbitrary arrests. However, for many Salvadorans, the improved security situation under Bukele's leadership outweighs these issues. As El Salvador faces economic challenges and concerns about democratic principles, Bukele's second term begins with both domestic support and international congratulations from China, Guatemala, and Panama.
