The Latin America Working Group (LAWG) and a coalition of over 20 civil society organizations have issued an urgent warning about the deterioration of democracy in El Salvador following constitutional reforms approved on July 30, 2025. The Legislative Assembly voted 57-3 to allow indefinite presidential reelection, extend presidential terms to six years, and eliminate runoff elections.
Since 2021, President Nayib Bukele’s party has systematically dismantled democratic institutions, dismissing the Constitutional Court and Attorney General, purging the judiciary, and passing laws targeting civil society. Under a prolonged state of emergency, over 86,000 people have been detained, including human rights defenders and academics.
The organizations view these developments as part of a broader authoritarian trend across Central America and call for international intervention, multilateral pressure, and strengthened civil society networks to defend democratic principles and human rights in the region.
Read the full letter in Spanish below:
