The Congress of El Salvador has ratified a constitutional reform that enables life imprisonment for murderers, rapists, and terrorists. This reform, to the second paragraph of Article 27 of the Constitution, will take effect eight days after its publication in the Official Gazette. The Legislative Assembly, dominated by the ruling party 'New Ideas', approved the reform with a overwhelming majority of 58 out of 60 votes. President Nayib Bukele's initiative was aimed at combating gangs, which for years made El Salvador one of the world's most violent countries. This reform was made possible by previous changes allowing for express constitutional amendments within a single legislative session. This move is also seen as a response to a report by international jurists who claim that elements exist to consider that crimes against humanity have been committed under the state of exception, which has been in place since March 2022. Under this regime, over 91,650 people have been imprisoned, and more than 500 detainees have died in state custody.
