Congress, which is controlled by Bukele, lifted its ban on life imprisonment for murderers, rapists and terrorists in April.

The maximum prison sentence was previously 60 years.

The reform was later extended to also apply to those under the age of 18.

El Salvador prosecutors said a 39-year-old man was sentenced on Monday to life in prison for killing his neighbor in a city west of capital San Salvador in August.

The office described the decision as “the first life sentence for aggravated femicide.”

In a separate case, a man convicted of murder was sentenced on Friday to life in prison — the first life sentence for murder in the country.

Bukele governs El Salvador with absolute power, drawing criticism from NGOs which say the country lacks judicial independence.

Since he declared a war on gangs in 2022, over 90,000 people have been locked up in extrajudicial circumstances.

Human rights groups accuse the government of committing crimes against humanity and imprisoning innocent people.

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