"After discussing it with my wife, Gabriela, and with my family, I announce to the Salvadoran people that I have decided to run as a candidate for the Presidency in the 2024 elections," Bukele said Thursday night.

This political fact is not surprising. In 2021, the Supreme Court ruled that presidential reelection is possible, something that was forbidden. The decision was criticized by the opposition in view of Bukele's authoritarian actions, which have had international resonance. Magistrates of the Constitutional Chamber, elected by allies of the President, were the ones who gave a free hand to the reelection. At the time, the United States expressed its concern.

The Constitution does not allow the immediate reelection of the President of the Republic. Other rulings had even denied that possibility and had given 10 years (two terms) to be able to run again for a presidential election.

Bukele justified himself by saying that "developed countries have reelection". He added that "thanks to the new configuration of the democratic institution of our country, now El Salvador will also do it".

According to the Colombian newspaper El Nuevo Siglo, Medardo González, of the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN), said that "the regime of exception has served to violate the human rights of many innocent people, not all the detainees are criminals and that does not matter to the government. It must put an end to this regime".

Bukele has fiercely fought the 'Maras' (gangs) and more than 52,000 arrests have been made. Non-Governmental Organizations have filed more than 6,500 complaints for human rights violations, to which the President reiterated on Thursday: "Some in the international community criticize the capture of gang members, as if they want us to go back to being bad (...) This is the only way out for El Salvador. We already proved it, this is not a campaign promise".