ARENA President Carlos Saade. (Archived Image). SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador — The right-wing Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA) announced it will compete in El Salvador’s 2027 elections, declaring itself “renewed” and ready to reclaim political ground after years of decline.
Party president Carlos Saade made the announcement in a video message on social media, saying ARENA had undergone a deep restructuring process aimed at confronting its troubled past.
From 1991 to 2019, ARENA was one of the most influential political parties in El Salvador; however, its political influence declined with the arrival of Nayib Bukele.
“We began a process of total renewal, unafraid to confront our past. We returned to our roots by updating our ideological charter for today’s El Salvador,” stated Saade.
The leader emphasized that the new party leadership had adopted “an unwavering ethical commitment, never again using power for personal gain,” while implementing strict disciplinary measures to punish internal corruption.
He described the transformation as “cleaning house” to build a “more agile and more robust” political organization.
Saade also reiterated ARENA’s ideological stance, calling it “a right-wing conservative party that believes in the free market, free enterprise, family, and above all, God.”
He insisted that the organization remains “the only serious, responsible, and independent political platform, ready to be a protagonist of the progress that El Salvador needs.”
“Today we can proudly say that we have done the work, we have laid the foundation, and today we say to El Salvador: we are ready to face the 2027 electoral process,” Saade said. “We are the largest and most organized party in El Salvador.”
The declaration came despite recent calls from within ARENA to boycott the elections.
Weeks earlier, Representative Francisco Lira urged the party to abstain from running, citing a lack of political guarantees.
“I’ve been seeing analysts saying that we shouldn’t vote in the presidential elections, and I think the same thing: the vote of the President of the Republic should be annulled.” Deputy Francisco Lira.
His warning followed the Legislative Assembly’s approval of constitutional changes extending presidential terms from five to six years and allowing indefinite re-election.
The reform ensures President Nayib Bukele can seek another term in 2027 and beyond.
