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🇳🇮 Nicaragua /Elections & Politics

El Salvador: Opposition Selects Rivals for Bukele in Upcoming Elections

From Confidencial · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • El Salvador's traditional parties, Arena and FMLN, have selected their presidential candidates to challenge incumbent Nayib Bukele in the upcoming February elections.
  • Both Arena's Mayteé Iraheta and FMLN's Rafael Aguirre face long odds against Bukele, who enjoys over 80% approval following his crackdown on gangs.
  • Bukele, seeking a third term, faces criticism from international organizations like Amnesty International regarding alleged human rights violations under a state of exception, which has led to mass arrests.

El Salvador's political landscape is set for a showdown as the country's two traditional parties, the right-wing Arena and the left-wing FMLN, have officially designated their candidates to compete against President Nayib Bukele in the February presidential elections. Arena has nominated former legislator Mayteé Iraheta, while the FMLN has put forward union leader Rafael Aguirre.

Both candidates enter the race with slim prospects of unseating Bukele, who remains highly popular, with approval ratings exceeding 80%. His significant public support stems largely from his aggressive stance against gangs, which has dramatically reduced the country's once-alarming violence rates. Bukele, a 45-year-old former advertising executive, has been nominated by his party, Nuevas Ideas, to seek a third term, which would extend his presidency until 2033.

We come to ratify our commitment (...) to present a different alternative to how things can be done.

— Rafael AguirreThe FMLN candidate spoke in San Salvador, calling for national dialogue.

However, Bukele's security offensive, conducted under a state of exception, has drawn sharp criticism from international human rights organizations. Amnesty International, among others, has reported serious violations that could potentially be classified as crimes against humanity. These concerns are amplified by the fact that nearly 92,000 people have been detained without judicial orders as part of the crackdown, which critics argue has also been used to silence opposition.

Despite the criticisms, Arena's Iraheta aims to present a different approach, focusing on "protecting" security gains while ensuring they serve broader collective progress, not just specific sectors. FMLN's Aguirre, speaking from San Salvador, called for a "national dialogue" and emphasized presenting an "alternative" way of governing. Bukele himself broke a three-decade-long two-party system in 2019, winning with 53% of the vote by appealing to younger voters and those disillusioned with Arena and the FMLN, parties that alternated power after the civil war.

Protecting security advances, but these will be at the service of greater collective progress and not just for one sector.

— Mayteé IrahetaThe Arena candidate spoke to journalists about her plan for security in El Salvador.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Confidencial in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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