El Salvador votes with Nayib Bukele poised for second presidential term

The country is voting in both presidential and legislative polls; incumbent Bukele faces virtually no competition.

Voters in El Salvador are casting their ballots in presidential and legislative elections that are largely about the tradeoff between security and democracy.

With soaring approval ratings and virtually no competition, President Nayib Bukele is almost certainly headed for a second term.

For the first time since civil war ended in 1992, the Central American country will vote under a state of emergency imposed for Bukele’s gang crackdown that slashed homicide rates but drew criticism for human rights violations.

Bukele, who polls as Latin America’s most popular leader, is also expected to expand his hold over the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador in Sunday’s elections.

An estimated 69.9 percent of voters approve of his re-election bid, despite questions about its constitutionality: Before Bukele, presidents in El Salvador had historically been limited to one term.