Weekly Report - 11 January 2024 (WR-24-01)

El Salvador’s presidential election campaign is eerily silent with less than a month to go before voters go to the polls on 4 February. President Nayib Bukele took leave of absence for six months on 1 December, replaced by his private secretary, to enable him to stand in the elections in accordance with a creative interpretation of the constitution made by pliant magistrates. Bukele, who enjoys a huge lead in the polls, has not made a public appearance so far this year. He did maintain in a radio interview on 3 January, however, that he intended to stand for re-election just once.