Continuismo

Continuismo (English: Continuism) - the practice by incumbents of keeping themselves in office. This Spanish term encapsulates the propensity of Latin American heads of state and government at various levels to indefinitely extend their rule by way of reducing or abolishing term limits. e.g., Despite Peru's one term limit established by its 1979 constitution, Fujimori extended his rule to ten years through two re-elections. Continuismo has been most associated in recent history with various democratic referenda promoted by sitting incumbents, whereby such incumbents appeal to the public citizenry in a populistic manner to extend the incumbents' mandate or abolish limits to the mandate, often under the pretense of the incumbent enjoying enough popularity and political capital to virtually guarantee the country's stabilization or further advancement under the incumbents' domestic and foreign policies.