Constitution of the Republic of El Salvador 1983, as amended to 2014
Political Rights and Association
  • English
    The inhabitants of El Salvador have the right to associate freely and to meet peacefully and without arms for any licit purpose. No one may be obligated to belong to an association.
    … (Art. 7)
  • Spanish
    Los habitantes de El Salvador tienen derecho a asociarse libremente y a reunirse pacíficamente y sin armas para cualquier objeto lícito. Nadie podrá ser obligado a pertenecer a una asociación.
    … (Art. 7)
Political Rights and Association
  • English
    All Salvadorans [that are] older than eighteen years of age are citizens. (Art. 71)
  • Spanish
    Son ciudadanos todos los salvadoreños mayores de dieciocho años. (Art. 71)
Political Rights and Association
  • English
    The political rights of the citizen are:
    1) To exercise the suffrage;
    2) To associate to constitute political parties in accordance with the law and [to] join those already constituted;
    3) To opt for public office [cargo] complying with the requirements determined by this Constitution and the secondary laws. (Art. 72)
  • Spanish
    Los derechos políticos del ciudadano son:
    1- Ejercer el sufragio;
    2- Asociarse para constituir partidos políticos de acuerdo con la ley e ingresar a los ya constituidos;
    3- Optar a cargos públicos cumpliendo con los requisitos que determinan esta Constitución y las leyes secundarias. (Art. 72)
Political Parties
  • English
    The Government is republican, democratic and representative.
    The political system is pluralist and expresses itself through the political parties, which are the only instrument for the exercise of the representation of the People within the Government. The norms, [the] organization and [the] functioning will be subject to the principles of [a] representative democracy.
    The existence of a sole official party is incompatible with the democratic system and with the form of government established in this Constitution. (Art. 85)
  • Spanish
    El Gobierno es republicano, democrático y representativo.
    El sistema político es pluralista y se expresa por medio de los partidos políticos, que son el único instrumento para el ejercicio de la representación del pueblo dentro del Gobierno. Las normas, organización y funcionamiento se sujetarán a los principios de la democracia representativa.
    La existencia de un partido único oficial es incompatible con el sistema democrático y con la forma de gobierno establecidos en esta Constitución. (Art. 85)
Political Parties
  • English
    The State recognizes the political debt as a mechanism of finance for the contending political parties, which is aimed towards promoting their freedom and independence. The secondary law will regulate what is referent to this matter. (Art. 210)
  • Spanish
    El Estado reconoce la deuda política como un mecanismo de financiamiento para los partidos políticos contendientes, encaminado a promover su libertad e independencia. La ley secundaria regulará lo referente a esta materia. (Art. 210)
Electoral Bodies
  • English
    The law will establish the organs necessary for the reception, recount and accounting of [fiscalización] the votes and other activities concerning the suffrage and will see [cuidara] that they are integrated in such a way that no party or coalition of parties predominates in them.
    The contending political parties or coalitions will have the right of monitoring [vigilancia] the entire electoral process. (Art. 209)
  • Spanish
    La ley establecera los organismos necesarios para la recepcion, recuento Y fiscalizacion de votos y demas actividades concernientes al sufragio y cuidara de que esten integrados de modo que no predomine en ellos ningun partido o coalicion de Partidos.
    Los partidos politicos y coaliciones contendientes tendran derecho de vigilancia Sobre todo el proceso electoral. (Art. 209)
Head of State
  • English
    The President and the Vice President of the Republic, the Ministers and [the] Vice-Ministers of State and their dependant functionaries, compose the Executive Organ. (Art. 150)
  • Spanish
    El Presidente y el Vicepresidente de la República, los Ministros y Viceministros de Estado y sus funcionarios dependientes, integran el Órgano Ejecutivo. (Art. 150)
Head of State
  • English
    To be elected President of the Republic it is required: to be a Salvadoran by birth, [a] child of a Salvadoran father or mother; of secular estate [de estado seglar], over thirty years of age, of notable morality and knowledge; [to] be in the exercise of the rights of citizenship, to have been so for the six years preceding the election and to be affiliated to one of the legally recognized political parties. (Art. 151)
  • Spanish
    Para ser elegido Presidente de la República se requiere: ser salvadoreño por nacimiento, hijo de padre o madre salvadoreño; del estado seglar, mayor de treinta años de edad, de moralidad e instrucción notorias; estar en el ejercicio de los derechos de ciudadano, haberlo estado en los seis años anteriores a la elección y estar afiliado a uno de los partidos políticos reconocidos legalmente. (Art. 151)
Head of State
  • English
    [The following] are the attributions and obligations of the President of the Republic:
    1) To observe [cumplir] and have observed [hacer cumplir] the Constitution, the treaties, the laws, and other legal provisions;
    … (Art. 168)
  • Spanish
    Son atribuciones y obligaciones del Presidente de la República:
    1º- Cumplir y hacer cumplir la Constitución, los tratados, las leyes y demás disposiciones legales;
    … (Art. 168)
Vice-President
  • English
    The President and the Vice President of the Republic, the Ministers and [the] Vice-Ministers of State and their dependant functionaries, compose the Executive Organ. (Art. 150)
  • Spanish
    El Presidente y el Vicepresidente de la República, los Ministros y Viceministros de Estado y sus funcionarios dependientes, integran el Órgano Ejecutivo. (Art. 150)
Vice-President
  • English
    To be elected President of the Republic it is required: to be a Salvadoran by birth, [a] child of a Salvadoran father or mother; of secular estate [de estado seglar], over thirty years of age, of notable morality and knowledge; [to] be in the exercise of the rights of citizenship, to have been so for the six years preceding the election and to be affiliated to one of the legally recognized political parties. (Art. 151)
  • Spanish
    Para ser elegido Presidente de la República se requiere: ser salvadoreño por nacimiento, hijo de padre o madre salvadoreño; del estado seglar, mayor de treinta años de edad, de moralidad e instrucción notorias; estar en el ejercicio de los derechos de ciudadano, haberlo estado en los seis años anteriores a la elección y estar afiliado a uno de los partidos políticos reconocidos legalmente. (Art. 151)
Vice-President
  • English
    That provided for [dispuesto] in the two preceding Articles will apply to the Vice President of the Republic and [to] the Designates to the Presidency. (Art. 153)
  • Spanish
    Lo dispuesto en los dos artículos anteriores se aplicará al Vicepresidente de la República y a los Designados a la Presidencia. (Art. 153)
Government
  • English
    The President and the Vice President of the Republic, the Ministers and [the] Vice-Ministers of State and their dependant functionaries, compose the Executive Organ. (Art. 150)
  • Spanish
    El Presidente y el Vicepresidente de la República, los Ministros y Viceministros de Estado y sus funcionarios dependientes, integran el Órgano Ejecutivo. (Art. 150)
Government
  • English
    To be a Minister or Vice-Minister of State it is required to be Salvadoran by birth, [to be] older than twenty-five years of age, [to be] of secular estate [de estado seglar], of notable morality and knowledge; [to] be in the exercise of the rights of citizenship, [and] to have been so for the six years prior to his appointment. (Art. 160)
  • Spanish
    Para ser Ministro o Viceministro de Estado se requiere ser salvadoreño por nacimiento, mayor de veinticinco años de edad, del estado seglar, de moralidad e instrucción notorias; estar en el ejercicio de los derechos de ciudadano y haberlo estado en los seis años anteriores a su nombramiento. (Art. 160)
Government
  • English
    [It] corresponds to the President of the Republic to appoint, remove, accept the resignations [of] and grant [the] leaves of absence [licencias] to the Ministers and Vice-Ministers of State, as well as [to] the Head [Jefe] of Public Security and [to that] of the Intelligence [Organ] of the State. (Art. 162)
  • Spanish
    Corresponde al Presidente de la República nombrar, remover, aceptar renuncias y conceder licencias a los Ministros y Viceministros de estado, asi como al Jefe de Seguridad Publica y al de Inteligencia de Estado. (Art. 162)
Government
  • English
    There will be a Council of Ministers composed of the President and [the] Vice President of the Republic and the Ministers of State or [of] those who take their places. (Art. 166)
  • Spanish
    Habrá un Consejo de Ministros integrado por el Presidente y el Vicepresidente de la República y los Ministros de Estado o quienes hagan sus veces. (Art. 166)
Legislature
  • English
    The Legislative Assembly is a collegiate body composed of Deputies, elected in the form prescribed by this Constitution, and to it fundamentally belongs the attribution to legislate. (Art. 121)
  • Spanish
    La Asamblea Legislativa es un cuerpo colegiado compuesto por Diputados, elegidos en la forma prescrita por esta Constitución, y a ella compete fundamentalmente la atribución de legislar. (Art. 121)
Legislature
  • English
    To be elected Deputy, one must be older than twenty-five years of age, [be a] Salvadoran by birth, [a] child of a Salvadoran father or mother, [to be] of wellknown integrity and knowledge [instrucción] and not have lost the rights of citizenship during the five years before the election. (Art. 126)
  • Spanish
    Para ser elegido Diputado se requiere ser mayor de veinticinco años, salvadoreño por nacimiento, hijo de padre o madre salvadoreño, de notoria honradez e instrucción y no haber perdido los derechos de ciudadano en los cinco años anteriores a la elección. (Art. 126)
1

Constitution of the Republic of El Salvador 1983, as amended to 2014 (English), available in HeinOnline World Constitutions Illustrated Library (2024). According to Art. 62: “The official language of El Salvador is Castilian Spanish [castellano]. …”

2

Constitution of the Republic of El Salvador 1983, as amended to 2014 (Spanish).

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