El Salvador President Nayib Bukele raised fresh debate about the countrys political future after indicating he might be willing to stay in power for another 10 years.
Comments made during an interview with Spanish YouTuber TheGrefg revealed that he would extend his time in office by a decade if the decision rested solely with him.
His remarks also included a reference to an earlier personal agreement with his wife that he would step away from politics in 2029.
Presidential elections in El Salvador are next expected in 2027, with the winner scheduled to govern until 2033.
Constitutional changes pushed through by a parliament controlled by his party have cleared a path for him to run for a third consecutive term.
Legal experts both inside the country and abroad continue to question the validity of those revisions, noting that the original constitution explicitly prohibited consecutive presidencies in its early clauses.
His second term was secured in early 2024 with a resounding majority despite the longstanding ban.
The 44 year old former public relations and advertising executive, who once served as mayor of San Salvador, remains widely popular due to a sweeping crackdown on gangs that sharply reduced homicide levels.
Rights groups and critics argue that his security strategy has brought widespread violations, pointing to reports of arbitrary detentions, torture and deaths inside detention facilities.
Bukele previously described himself on X as the coolest dictator in the world in a tongue in cheek reference, yet he maintains that he has no intention of steering the country toward an authoritarian system and insists voters will determine who leads after the next election.
