The new Assembly replaces the Constitutional Chamber and the attorney-general in one night
On 1 May 2021, the first sitting of a Nuevas Ideas supermajority Assembly dismissed the five Constitutional Chamber justices and the attorney-general and named replacements the same night. In the causal graph this event strengthens Judicial independence erosion (court capture), a driver that strengthens Rule of Law Gap from the Highest Governance Score — a worsening welfare path.
Read the full account
On 1 May 2021, the first sitting of a Nuevas Ideas supermajority Assembly dismissed the five Constitutional Chamber justices and the attorney-general and named replacements the same night. Bukele had publicly pressed it.
Context
The 28 February legislative election sat as parent. Neighbouring re-election ruling is later 2021. He did not sit as every deputy.
Assembly election February 2021 is the parent. Re-election ruling September 2021 is a child.
The President of El Salvador heads the executive, commands the armed forces, and can request a state of exception that the Legislative Assembly must approve and extend. He does not write a Constitutional Chamber judgment by himself, an IMF board decision, or a US Treasury designation. The Assembly, PNC, Fiscalía, and prison service share specific files. A homicide print is not a unique due-process coefficient. Gang membership is not proven by detention alone.
Why it matters
The path is justice and democratic resilience: a completed same-night replacement of the constitutional court and prosecutor is a dated check-and-balance collapse.
Who was responsible
Contribution type and responsibility level for each recorded actor — not sole-author shorthand.
Nayib Bukele
PersonDirect responsibility
responsibility level 0.8 · verified
The Assembly voted. He had demanded the change and owned the supermajority. The new Chamber later sat on re-election.
What changed
Fact → Driver → Indicator. Relationship strength orders the paths; it is not the observed indicator movement.
- FactThe new Assembly replaces the Constitutional Chamber and the attorney-general in one night
- strengthensDriverJudicial independence erosion (court capture)
- strengthensIndicators (4)Rule of Law Gap from the Highest Governance Score
impact weight 0.8 · Effect from 1 May 2021 · verified
Replacing the Constitutional Chamber in one night is a completed judicial-independence collapse.
- Worse
Strengthens · Relationship strength 0.58 (weight 0.8 × strength 0.72)
Observed
43.9 Score · 43.9 above the normal line (2024)
Worse than normal26 readings, 1996–2024: rose from 43 Score to 43.9 Score.
Normal is zero · any amount = worse
Weakens · Relationship strength 0.56 (weight 0.8 × strength 0.7)
Observed
0.55 index score (0-1) · 0.26 below the normal line (2024)
Worse than normalAbove normal = better
Weakens · Relationship strength 0.55 (weight 0.8 × strength 0.69)
Observed
0.62 score from 0 to 1 · 0.25 below the normal line (2024)
Worse than normal125 readings, 1900–2024: rose from 0.37 score from 0 to 1 to 0.62 score from 0 to 1.
Above normal = better
All indicators on this path (4)
Weakens · Relationship strength 0.24 (weight 0.8 × strength 0.3)
Observed
42.5 index score (0-100) · 7.53 below the normal line (2025)
Worse than normalAbove normal = better
- FactThe new Assembly replaces the Constitutional Chamber and the attorney-general in one night
- weakensDriverDemocratic Resilience
- strengthensIndicators (3)Having a say in government
impact weight 0.75 · Effect from 1 May 2021 · verified
Removing the prosecutor and the chamber that reviews the president contracts remaining checks.
Strengthens · Relationship strength 0.52 (weight 0.75 × strength 0.7)
Observed
29.8% of population aged 16-65 years · 8.13 below the normal line (2023)
Worse than normalTwo readings: 30.2% of population aged 16-65 years (2021) and 29.8% of population aged 16-65 years (2023).
20212023 Above normal = better
Strengthens · Relationship strength 0.34 (weight 0.75 × strength 0.45)
Observed
0.53 score from 0 to 1 · 0.34 below the normal line (2024)
Worse than normal125 readings, 1900–2024: rose from 0.17 score from 0 to 1 to 0.53 score from 0 to 1.
Above normal = better
Strengthens · Relationship strength 0.34 (weight 0.75 × strength 0.45)
Observed
0.55 index score (0-1) · 0.26 below the normal line (2024)
Worse than normalAbove normal = better
Evidence
The sources behind this fact and its verification state.
- 1.Reuters — El Salvador assembly ousts top judges and prosecutorReuters · High credibility · verified
- 2.Legislative Assembly — 1 May 2021 dismissals and appointments of the Constitutional Chamber and FiscalíaLegislative Assembly of El Salvador · High credibility · verified
What the sources establish
Legislative Assembly of El Salvador carries the official instrument or communique. Reuters records the same dated act independently.
Established: 1 May 2021 dismissals and same-night replacements, independently reported.
He had demanded the change and owned the supermajority. The new Chamber later sat on re-election.. A later repeal, court stay, or successor order would be a different Fact with a different date. That pair identifies The new Assembly replaces the Constitutional Chamber and the attorney-general in one night, not a later speech about The new Assembly replaces the Constitutional Chamber and the attorney-general in one night.
Co-authors and later implementers named in Context remain on the file. If a later repeal, stay, or successor instrument exists, it needs its own date and its own row. The contribution described on this Person row is limited to The Assembly voted. That limit is the alternative to treating office-holding as authorship of every later series.
Causal path
How this event connects to drivers and indicators in the graph.
- ActorNayib Bukele
- contributed toFactThe new Assembly replaces the Constitutional Chamber and the attorney-general in one night
- strengthensDrivers (2)Judicial independence erosion (court capture)
- strengthensIndicatorRule of Law Gap from the Highest Governance Score
Cite this page
Factrail. (2026). The new Assembly replaces the Constitutional Chamber and the attorney-general in one night. Factrail. https://factrail.ai/facts/sv-judges-2021
https://factrail.ai/facts/sv-judges-2021
Accessed 16 October 2026.
By the Factrail desk · Method: how we source and score · Last reviewed
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