George Lucas wrote a trilogy of movies that focus on the downfall of democracy, and could not have been more ironically based. In Revenge of the Sith, democracy dies to “thunderous applause.” But for most of human history, this is how democracies have ended. And such was the case in El Salvador when the legislature passed a series of reforms 57-3 that ensured Nayib Bukele stays in power.
According to the Associated Press:
The party of El Salvador President Nayib Bukele approved constitutional changes in the country’s Legislative Assembly on Thursday that will allow indefinite presidential reelection and extend presidential terms to six years.
Lawmaker Ana Figueroa from the New Ideas party had proposed the changes to five articles of the constitution. The proposal also included eliminating the second round of the election where the two top vote-getters from the first round face off.
Longer terms and no term limits allow Bukele to stay in power longer, and the removal of the runoff system ensures Bukele just needs to win a simple plurality, and as a popular executive, this will be easy moving forward. So despite the copes that this is indeed democratic, Bukele’s party have seized power and changed the rules of the game in their favor.
Bukele became world famous when his strict lack of tolerance for criminal gangs led to mass incarcerations and turned one of the most crime-ridden countries into one of the safest countries in short order. Thus, his wielding of power for the good of his nation made him extremely popular in the eyes of his people.
In Star Wars, much like real life, the democracy aficionados valued democracy for democracy’s sake. Unfortunately for them, people quickly look elsewhere because the government becomes too ineffective due to gridlock, or worse, the constant rotation of power means that much of the governance is handled by bureaucrats, AKA the “deep state.”
But democracy is not a good in and of itself, and is not worth dying for. History has shown from Athens to Canada that democracies are more tyrannical and demanding of citizens than autocratic systems. Eventually, the system devolves into voting to give yourself more stuff than on the long-term strategic ambitions of a nation. But which is the greater tyranny: having a functional dictator or a lawless democracy? El Salvador has chosen liberty from the democratic thugocracy they once knew.
In El Salvador, they now have a leader who can implement a long-term strategic vision for their nation and make a tiny coastal nation a paradise and a regional power.
