El Salvador’s Congress approves changes to reform constitution, a move critics call anti-democratic

El Salvador’s Congress, controlled by President Nayeb Bukele’s New Ideas party, approved changes to the constitution on April 29 to facilitate major constitutional reforms without waiting until after the election of a new legislature.

The move further consolidates power in the hands of Mr Bukele and his party, with some critics saying it opens a possible path for the leader to stay in power.

Previously, constitutional reforms had to be proposed and approved in a legislature, then passed in Congress after elections. Now, reforms can be pushed through with a vote of just three-quarters of lawmakers.

“This is a blow to the democracy of our country. The only thing they are displaying is a petty interest and an ambition to keep power and not leave it,” said Rosa Romero of the right-wing nationalist Republican Alliance (Arena).

Mr. Bukele, a popular strongman, has already taken steps that critics say threaten the Central American nation’s fragile democracy.

Besides going after critics and locking 1% of his country’s population into his gang repression, the leader last year approved reforms that cut the number of seats in Congress, effectively weighing the upcoming elections in his party’s favor.

In February, the very popular Mr. Bukele easily won a second term in his country’s presidential elections, despite the country’s constitution prohibiting re-election. His party won a super majority in Congress, effectively allowing Bukele to rule as long as he could.

Constitutional reform allows the leader to push through his policies, including carrying out more reforms, potentially in order to stay in power.

In an interview with Associated Press In January, Mr Bukele’s vice-president did not rule out the possibility of a third term as leader if the constitution was changed after repeatedly dodging questions from reporters.

The April 29 reform quickly sparked outrage among critics and watchdogs, including Claudia Ortiz, a lawmaker under the VAMOS party who voted against the reform.

“Do they know what they are doing? They are handing over power. Aren’t they ashamed? I want to tell Salvadorans not to give up,” Mr. Ortiz said.

Meanwhile, Citizen Action, a non-governmental organization, said in a statement on Monday that “New Ideas is removing another political burden”.

The move he removed was “aimed at preserving the Constitution and protecting the people from the abuse of temporary legislative majorities,” the statement read.