El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele announced on Tuesday that he will spend the next three days asking the Legislative Assembly for “permission” to participate in the election campaign and seek re-election in February.

“As you all know, in about three days I will ask the Legislative Assembly for permission to devote myself to the campaign and will not serve as president,” Bukele told his ministers at a radio and television meeting.

The president assured that the Salvadoran people will decide in the February 4 elections whether to re-elect him for a second term together with Vice President Félix Ulloa.

He urged the Public Prosecution Service to investigate everyone

Given his absence over the next six months, Bukele urged his ministers to “get their act together” and get to work, after warning that a review will take place so that in a possible second period can continue.

“I want to be remembered as the president who didn’t steal and who didn’t let anyone steal, and whoever stole he put in jail,” he said.

The president asked Attorney General Rodolfo Delgado, present at the meeting, to investigate all ministers.

“I would like to ask (the prosecutor) publicly that everyone who is here is investigated from front to back. I imagine there is no problem with that,” he emphasized.

After breaking the two-party system of left and right in 2019, this millennial entrepreneur has the support of 90% of citizens, according to surveys.

War on gangs

Since March 2022, Bukele declared war on the gangs, with which the country regained peace.

Protected by an emergency regime criticized by humanitarian groups, authorities have jailed more than 73,000 alleged gang members but released some 7,000 innocent people.

With the ability to communicate his ideas, the 42-year-old president has broken traditional political patterns.

Bukele’s power was consolidated in 2021 when his Nuevas Ideas party won a majority in Congress, allowing him to dismiss and replace five magistrates of the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court.

In September 2021, the Constitutional Chamber, through an interpretation of the Constitution, enabled Bukele to stand for re-election, This creates controversy as constitutionalists and opponents believe it is ‘unconstitutional’. (JO)