Bukele Nominated for Third Term as Trump Hosts White House Meeting

Nayib Bukele has been formally nominated as his party's candidate for a third presidential term in 2027, just as he meets with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House to deepen bilateral cooperation on migration and security. The nomination follows a controversial constitutional reform that eliminated term limits.

Candidacy and Reform

Bukele was selected as the sole candidate in Nuevas Ideas' primaries on July 13, 2026 Source: portafolioco. The path was cleared by a July 2025 constitutional reform, passed in a single day without debate, which abolished consecutive term limits, extended the presidential term from five to six years, and eliminated runoff elections Source: elcaribedr. Critics argue this allows indefinite re-election; WOLA's president noted the company of Venezuela and Nicaragua Source: diariolibree. Bukele defended the reform, citing similar provisions in Canada, the UK, and Germany Source: elcaribedr.

Trump Meeting

Trump hosted Bukele at the White House on July 16, 2026, their second meeting in a year Source: abces. The closed-door talks focused on immigration and security cooperation Source: elpaises. Bukele has put his megaprison, CECOT, at the service of U.S. deportations, accepting 252 Venezuelans in 2025—later released and alleging abuses Source: diariolibree. The alliance has bolstered Bukele's international standing despite domestic human rights concerns.

Domestic Reactions

While Bukele enjoys over 85% approval for his anti-gang crackdown, opponents see the third term bid as a threat to democracy. A transport worker told AFP: "It's not good for democracy that Bukele goes again as candidate" Source: listindiario.