SAN SALVADOR.- With great favoritism in favor of the ruling New Ideas (NI) party of President Nayib Bukele, the municipal elections and the Central American Parliament (PARLACEN) are taking place this Sunday in El Salvador. Experts affirm that this widespread intention to vote could reaffirm the total political power of the president in the Central American country.
According to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) of El Salvador, some 6.2 million Salvadorans will vote at the polls during this second electoral day scheduled for this year in which 44 municipal councils and 20 regular and alternate deputies to Parliament are elected. Central American, an organization that works for the integration of the countries of Central America.
Bukele achieved his second term with an overwhelming victory in the presidential and legislative elections on February 4, in which he obtained a percentage of 84.6% of the votes, which will allow him to govern the Central American nation for five more years.
In Congress, Bukele’s party achieved the majority with the election of 54 of the 60 deputies. While the opposition only added three seats, including two from the conservative Nationalist Republican Alliance (Arena) Arena and one from VAMOS.
With 90% of the deputies of Congress in his favor, Bukele has the necessary votes to approve any bill, elect judges of the Supreme Court and the attorney general, and be able to maintain the emergency regime with which he combats gangs. since two years ago.
A sign of popularity
The party of the re-elected president leads the voters’ preference to win the majority of the municipalities, according to all published voting intention surveys. Which would demonstrate once again the support of the Salvadoran population for the policies implemented by Bukele in recent years to end the insecurity that plagued El Salvador.
The success of its security strategy has led to some 74,000 detainees, the dismantling of gangs and it has managed to have the lowest homicide rates in Latin America.
His popularity is supported by the candidates for the Nuevas Ideas municipalities, who assured during the campaign that they are willing and committed to working hand in hand.
Municipal reform
In June 2023, President Bukele proposed the Special Municipal Restructuring Law before the Salvadoran Congress, which approved the reduction of the number of municipalities from 262 to 44. However, he maintained the system of plural municipal councils.
Some analysts have questioned this measure and have interpreted it as a move by Bukele to maintain control of the localities in a simpler way. Bukele affirms that the reduction is about saving millionaire funds.
The president of the Supreme Court Electora l/TSE), Dora Esmeralda Martínez, called on all Salvadorans to come and exercise their right to vote freely, starting at 7:00 a.m. when the centers that will be extended were opened. until 5:00 p.m.
He also reported that the more than 678,000 Salvadorans who live abroad and were eligible to vote in the last presidential election will not participate in these elections.
The TSE also promised to issue preliminary results this Sunday night.
Election day will be observed by an international mission from the Organization of American States (OAS), which will be made up of 30 experts from 14 countries and headed by the former vice president of Panama, Isabel de Saint Malo.
@Lydr05
Source: With information from AP and El País
