El Salvador’s Democracy in Rapid Decline, Human Rights Watch Says

(Bloomberg) -- El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele is dismantling democratic institutions at a more alarming pace than former President Hugo Chavez did in Venezuela, according to Human Rights Watch. 

The group’s Executive Director for the Americas Jose Miguel Vivanco made the comments on Twitter, after the country’s top court last week ruled to allow presidential re-election. 

Bukele fired the nation’s Attorney General and justices on the Constitutional Court in May and replaced them with allies after his party won control of the legislative assembly. His vice-president has proposed more than 200 changes to the constitution. Last year he sent troops into congress after opposition lawmakers declined to back a loan to fund his security plan. 

El Salvador’s presidency didn’t immediately respond to a written request for comment. 

The nation’s dollar bonds retested lows and were among the worst performers in emerging markets on Tuesday following the court’s ruling. 

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