In the 2027 elections in El Salvador, the opposition candidate challenges Bukele, and the Bitcoin strategy faces uncertainties

According to BeInCrypto, El Salvador's two major opposition parties, ARENA and FMLN, have nominated Maytee Iraheta and Rafael Aguirre, respectively, as candidates for the presidential election in February 2027, challenging the re-election campaign of current President Nayib Bukele. Both candidates have not supported Bukele's Bitcoin strategy and have publicly criticized it as a financial failure.

Bukele's New Ideas party has nominated him to run, with his approval rating reaching as high as 94% in recent polls, but this support mainly comes from improvements in public safety rather than Bitcoin policy—polls show that only 2.2% of Salvadorans believe Bitcoin is their biggest failure. Bitcoin is no longer mandatory legal tender in the country following the IMF loan agreement in February 2025, with the dollar resuming its status as the only official currency for daily transactions. However, the El Salvador Bitcoin Office continues to buy Bitcoin, acquiring about 1 BTC daily, and as of July 27, its holdings have risen to approximately 7,730 BTC. The IMF has repeatedly warned that the Bitcoin strategy poses financial and governance risks and has not significantly improved financial inclusivity for unbanked residents. The next president will decide whether this accumulation continues.