El Salvador

El Salvador has undergone a rapid transformation into an electoral autocracy under President Nayib Bukele, characterized by the systematic dismantling of democratic checks and balances and the consolidation of power within the executive branch. As of May 2026, the country remains under a continuous state of exception that has been extended 49 times, resulting in the incarceration of over 91,500 individuals and giving El Salvador the highest imprisonment rate in the world. While these security measures maintain high domestic popularity due to the reduction in gang violence, they have effectively suspended fundamental civil liberties, including the right to a legal defense and the inviolability of communications. The administration has recently escalated its pressure on independent media, exemplified by the freezing of bank accounts and assets belonging to shareholders of the news outlet El Faro in early May 2026. Furthermore, the legislative assembly, dominated by the New Ideas party, recently ratified constitutional reforms that allow for direct diaspora representation, a move seen by critics as a strategy to further solidify the ruling party's electoral advantage. The judiciary has been largely purged of independent voices, and the removal of presidential term limits has cleared the path for indefinite incumbency. While the facade of elections remains, the uneven playing field, harassment of dissenters, and the absolute dominance of the military and police in civil life underscore a system where democratic competition is no longer meaningful.