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Telegraph
01-08-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
‘Millennial dictator' opens door to ruling forever
Fireworks erupted in the main square of the capital San Salvador, as lawmakers ratified the reform in a second late-night plenary session. 'Thank you for making history, colleagues,' said Assembly President Ernesto Castro of Bukele's party. Bukele enjoys enormous support at home for his heavy-handed campaign against criminal gangs, which has reduced violence in the country to historic lows. However, he has also drawn sharp criticism from international rights groups. The reforms came shortly after a wave of arrests targeting human rights defenders and government critics, prompting dozens of journalists and humanitarian workers to flee the country. A close ally of Donald Trump, Bukele's international image has been dented by his handling of detainees. His government held 252 Venezuelans for four months in a mega-prison he built for gang members. Many later alleged torture and abuse. Emboldened by its relationship with Trump, the Bukele administration detained human rights defenders in May and June, including prominent lawyer Ruth Lopez, who had denounced alleged cases of government corruption. 'Democracy has died' Under the ongoing emergency regime, roughly 88,000 people have been arrested on gang-related charges. Rights groups say thousands were detained arbitrarily, and more than 400 have died in custody. Bukele's 2024 re-election had already sparked concern, with critics arguing it violated the constitution and was enabled by a ruling by loyalist judges. Ruling party lawmaker Ana Figueroa, who introduced the reform, said Salvadorans 'can now decide how long to support their president'. However opposition lawmaker Marcela Villatoro denounced the move. 'Today, democracy has died in El Salvador,' she said, criticising the reforms' approval just as the country enters a week-long vacation. 'They've taken off the masks... They're shameless.' Juanita Goebertus, Human Rights Watch's Americas director, said El Salvador is 'following Venezuela's path'. 'It begins with a leader who uses his popularity to concentrate power, and ends in a dictatorship,' she wrote on social media. Miguel Montenegro of the nongovernmental Human Rights Commission said the reforms 'completely dismantle what little democracy remained'. In a speech marking the first year of his second term, Bukele said he does not care if people call him a dictator, brushing off international criticism over the arrest of humanitarian activists.
Al Jazeera
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Top anti-corruption group flees El Salvador amid government crackdown
The El Salvador human rights and anti-corruption watchdog Cristosal says it has relocated its operations outside the country, as the government of President Nayib Bukele intensifies its crackdown on dissenting voices. Cristosal said on Thursday that it has suspended work in El Salvador and relocated its staff out of the country, where the group plans to continue its work in exile. 'When it became clear that the government was prepared to persecute us criminally and that there is no possibility of defence or impartial trial, that makes it unviable to take those risks anymore,' Noah Bullock, executive director of Cristosal, told the news agency Reuters, speaking from Guatemala. The Bukele government has stepped up its targeting of organisations and figures that scrutinise the government's record on issues such as corruption and security, threatening rights groups and independent media with what critics say are fabricated legal challenges. Ruth Lopez, a prominent anti-corruption and justice advocate with Cristosal, was arrested on corruption charges in May and remains in detention. Her arrest has been denounced by organisations such as Amnesty International and the United Nations. Bukele also announced a new law in May requiring non-governmental organisations that receive support from outside the country to register with the government and pay additional taxes. Cristosal has operated in El Salvador for 25 years and has become a target of ire for Bukele with investigations into government corruption and reports on the human toll of El Salvador's campaign of mass arrests and suspension of key civil liberties in the name of combating gang activity. 'Under a permanent state of exception and near-total control of all institutions, El Salvador has ceased to be a state of rights,' the group said in a statement on Thursday. 'Expressing an opinion or demanding basic rights today can land you in jail.' The Bukele government declared a 'state of exception' in March 2022, granting the government and security forces exceptional powers and suspending key civil liberties. The government's push has substantially reduced the influence of powerful gangs that had previously smothered life in Salvadoran cities with exploitation and violence. Those successes have won Bukele widespread popularity, but come at a steep cost: scores of people swept into prisons without charge, held in abysmal conditions and with no means of contesting their detention. Bukele himself has also faced accusations of coordinating behind the scenes with powerful gang leaders. While the government has boasted that violent crime has fallen to record lows and the gangs have been smashed, it has continuously renewed the exceptional powers under the state of emergency, which dissidents say are being used to target and harass human rights advocates and critics of the government. In April 2023, the investigative news outlet El Faro also stated that it would relocate its administrative and legal operations outside the country over fears of legal harassment and surveillance, while its reporters would continue to work in El Salvador.
Reuters
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Exclusive: El Salvador rights group flees Bukele's deepening crackdown
July 17 (Reuters) - El Salvador President Nayib Bukele's drive to consolidate his grip on power and crack down on critics and humanitarian organizations has forced a leading human rights organization to suspend operations in the country and go into exile, the group told Reuters. Cristosal, which was founded by Anglican bishops 25 years ago and came to prominence for its investigations into corruption in the Bukele government, has pulled 20 employees out of the country in recent weeks. The group told Reuters it has just one employee left in El Salvador: Ruth Lopez, its anti-corruption and justice director, who has been jailed since May on corruption charges. Cristosal's decision to evacuate its staff has not been previously reported. The human rights group said its decision represents a turning point in Bukele's three-year state of emergency, with many journalists and other rights groups also deeming it unsafe to continue operating there. "When it became clear that the government was prepared to persecute us criminally and that there is no possibility of defense or impartial trial, that makes it unviable to take those risks anymore," said Noah Bullock, executive director of Cristosal, who spoke to Reuters from Guatemala. The government brought the case against Lopez under seal, prompting her to call for a public trial. Reuters could not independently establish the charges against her. A spokesperson for El Salvador's attorney general's office didn't respond to requests for comment about why the case against Lopez is sealed, and whether officials consider her a danger. A spokesperson for Bukele did not respond to a request for comment about the pressure on human rights organizations. Since imposing a state of emergency in March 2022, Bukele has suspended constitutional rights, curtailed freedom of the press and undermined judicial independence. Human rights groups say thousands of innocent people have been swept up in his gang crackdown, which has resulted in the arrests of more than 85,000 people. Bukele has said such drastic measures were needed to eliminate the gangs' hold over the country. Homicides have fallen more than 90% since he took office, according to government figures. Despite international criticism, Bukele remains extremely popular in El Salvador, with a nearly 85% approval rating, according to a survey released in June by the Jesuit Central American University. But there are signs of unease: Nearly 60% of those surveyed said it is very likely a person or institution could suffer negative consequences for expressing criticism of the president or government. A law enacted in May makes it practically impossible for many civil rights organizations with international funding to operate, according to people working at these institutions. The law requires individuals and organizations that receive international funding to register as 'foreign agents' and places a 30% tax on every financial transaction involving foreign funds. Failure to comply could expose groups to criminal prosecution under anti-money laundering laws. Bukele, who was elected president in 2019, devoted a significant portion of his state of the union address last month to criticizing journalists and human rights groups. He said human rights groups receive 'millions each year to peddle misery and spread violence.' LAWYERS AND RIGHTS GROUPS FLEE At least four human rights groups in addition to Cristosal have withdrawn staff for security reasons, Bullock said. Reuters was able to confirm departures from two of the groups. The arrest of Lopez, Cristosal's well-known anti-corruption and justice director, marked a significant escalation in Bukele's attack on critics, rights groups say. Since May, about 60 lawyers and human rights activists have fled, according to Salvadoran human rights lawyer Ingrid Escobar, who left the country after what she described as a campaign of police harassment. At least 40 journalists have also left since May due to police harassment, surveillance and fear of imminent arrest, according to the Association of Journalists of El Salvador. In a speech before the United Nations General Assembly last year, the Salvadoran president declared that freedom of expression is protected and "we don't arrest people for their own ideas." Last month, authorities arrested constitutional lawyer Enrique Anaya on charges of money laundering. An outspoken critic of the president, Anaya had called Bukele a dictator on live television. Like Lopez, Anaya's case is sealed, and a judge has ordered him to remain in prison as proceedings continue. The spokesperson for the El Salvador attorney general's office didn't respond to a request for comment about the case. Angelica Carcamo, director of the Central American Network of Journalists, said Anaya's case persuaded her that it wasn't safe to return to El Salvador. She said she fled after a home security camera captured images of armed soldiers milling outside. Reuters couldn't independently confirm this. 'As long as there are no guarantees of protection for the press or those of us who practice journalism or defend human rights, it is not advisable to return," Carcamo said. Cristosal's Bullock said Bukele has been emboldened by his alliance with President Donald Trump, cemented by the agreement reached in March to house 238 Venezuelans deported from the United States in a maximum-security prison. Bukele also resisted the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an imprisoned Salvadoran man wrongfully deported by the Trump administration. Bukele has denied Abrego Garcia's claims that he was tortured in El Salvador's mega-prison. During Bukele's visit to the White House in April, Trump said Bukele is 'one hell of a president' and 'doing incredibly for your country.'
Free Malaysia Today
08-06-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Salvadoran lawyer arrested on money laundering charges
Enrique Anaya was arrested at his home in the city of Santa Tecla. (Attorney-general's office of El Salvador/AFP pic) SAN SALVADOR : A Salvadoran lawyer and fierce critic of president Nayib Bukele was arrested today on charges of money laundering, the prosecutor's office said, a move branded by human rights organisations as an offensive to silence those who question the government. Bukele's hardline approach to El Salvador's powerful gangs has made him one of the world's most domestically popular leaders, even as human rights defenders raise alarm over arbitrary arrests and eroding civil liberties. Enrique Anaya, a constitutional lawyer, who has called Nayib a 'dictator' and criticised his re-election, was arrested at his home in the city of Santa Tecla. Images of Anaya handcuffed alongside police officers were shared on social media by the attorney-general's office, which stated that he will be referred to the courts in the coming days for 'money and asset laundering'. It comes after the detention this year of fellow lawyer Ruth Lopez, head of an anti-corruption unit of human rights NGO Cristosal, who was accused of embezzling state funds when she worked for an electoral court a decade ago. El Salvador's constitution does not allow successive presidential terms, but a Bukele-stacked Supreme Court allowed him to run, and he was re-elected in February 2024. 'Of course I'm afraid' Bukele, who won 85% of the votes thanks to his war against gangs, accuses his critics of leftist political activism and last week warned that 'corrupt opposition members' are not untouchable. 'I don't care if they call me a dictator. I'd rather be called a dictator than see Salvadorans killed in the streets,' he said in a speech today. Anaya responded on a television programme Tuesday that Bukele had removed 'the mask', adding 'he is what he is'. 'Here, whoever speaks, whoever criticizes, whoever does not kneel before the idol, gets imprisoned. Of course, I am afraid,' Anaya said. He said in his last X post on Friday that 'the Bukelean dictatorship is increasingly questioned and confronted internationally,' referencing criticism from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (CIDH) regarding the arrest of Lopez's and other activists. Lopez has criticised Bukele's anti-crime policy, which has seen thousands of alleged gangsters arrested and jailed in harsh conditions. Her NGO Cristosal helps families of Salvadorans caught up in Bukele's crackdown on gangs, as well as more than 250 Venezuelans deported by the Trump administration, which paid El Salvador to imprison them. 'It's part of what we're living through. Unfortunately, Enrique's situation is similar to Ruth's case,' said Anaya's defence attorney, Jaime Quintanilla. 'Troubling escalation' In a statement, Cristosal described Anaya as a 'key figure in defending democratic institutions and constitutional order'. 'His arrest is part of a troubling escalation of criminalisation against those who defend the rule of law in El Salvador,' he added. An environmental lawyer and an evangelical pastor supporting a farmers' protest were arrested in May, and in February Fidel Zavala, a human rights activist, was accused of ties to gangs. Last month, Bukele's allies in the Legislative Assembly imposed a Foreign Agents Law levying a 30% tax on organisations receiving overseas funding and requiring them to join a special registry. The European Union said yesterday that the law 'could restrict society' and lamented the arrests, which Bukele responded to on X, calling it an 'aged bloc' of bureaucrats who insist 'on preaching to the rest of the world'. Bukele accuses NGOs of defending criminals and has accused the media of joining an 'organised attack' spearheaded by international groups. Anaya has stated on several occasions in interviews that Bukele's legacy will be one of 'human rights violations' and 'destruction of democracy'.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Salvadoran lawyer arrested on money laundering charges
A Salvadoran lawyer and fierce critic of President Nayib Bukele was arrested Saturday on charges of money laundering, the prosecutor's office said, a move branded by human rights organizations as an offensive to silence those who question the government. Bukele's hardline approach to El Salvador's powerful gangs has made him one of the world's most domestically popular leaders, even as human rights defenders raise alarm over arbitrary arrests and eroding civil liberties. Enrique Anaya, a constitutional lawyer, who has called Nayib a "dictator" and criticized his reelection, was arrested at his home in the city of Santa Tecla. Images of Anaya handcuffed alongside police officers were shared on social media by the Attorney General's Office, which stated that he will be referred to the courts in the coming days for "money and asset laundering." It comes after the detention this year of fellow lawyer Ruth Lopez, head of an anti-corruption unit of human rights NGO Cristosal, who was accused of embezzling state funds when she worked for an electoral court a decade ago. El Salvador's constitution does not allow successive presidential terms, but a Bukele-stacked Supreme Court allowed him to run, and he was reelected in February 2024. - 'Of course I'm afraid' - Bukele, who won 85 percent of the votes thanks to his war against gangs, accuses his critics of leftist political activism and last week warned that "corrupt opposition members" are not untouchable. "I don't care if they call me a dictator. I'd rather be called a dictator than see Salvadorans killed in the streets," he said in a speech Sunday. Anaya responded on a television program Tuesday that Bukele had removed "the mask," adding "he is what he is." "Here, whoever speaks, whoever criticizes, whoever does not kneel before the idol, gets imprisoned. Of course, I am afraid," Anaya said. He said in his last X post on Friday that "the Bukelean dictatorship is increasingly questioned and confronted internationally," referencing criticism from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (CIDH) regarding the arrest of Lopez's and other activists. Lopez has criticized Bukele's anti-crime policy, which has seen thousands of alleged gangsters arrested and jailed in harsh conditions. Her NGO Cristosal helps families of Salvadorans caught up in Bukele's crackdown on gangs, as well as more than 250 Venezuelans deported by the Trump administration, which paid El Salvador to imprison them. "It's part of what we're living through. Unfortunately, Enrique's situation is similar to Ruth's case," said Anaya's defense attorney, Jaime Quintanilla. -- 'Troubling escalation' -- In a statement, Cristosal described Anaya as a "key figure in defending democratic institutions and constitutional order." "His arrest is part of a troubling escalation of criminalization against those who defend the rule of law in El Salvador," he added. An environmental lawyer and an evangelical pastor supporting a farmers' protest were arrested in May, and in February Fidel Zavala, a human rights activist, was accused of ties to gangs. Last month, Bukele's allies in the Legislative Assembly imposed a Foreign Agents Law levying a 30 percent tax on organizations receiving overseas funding and requiring them to join a special registry. The European Union said on Saturday that the law "could restrict society" and lamented the arrests, which Bukele responded to on X, calling it an "aged bloc" of bureaucrats who insist "on preaching to the rest of the world." Bukele accuses NGOs of defending criminals and has accused the media of joining an "organized attack" spearheaded by international groups. Anaya has stated on several occasions in interviews that Bukele's legacy will be one of "human rights violations" and "destruction of democracy." mis/cmm/cjc/tc/md
