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El Salvador rights group flees Bukele's deepening crackdown
EL SALVADOR, JUL 17 – Cristosal halted operations after arrests and restrictive laws targeted NGOs and critics, forcing over 20 staff to relocate amid a crackdown that saw 85,000 arrests, rights groups say.
- On Thursday, Cristosal announced it would leave El Salvador, relocating 20 employees to Guatemala and Honduras, citing government harassment and legal threats.
- Shortly after Chief Legal Officer Ruth López’s detention, authorities enacted a new law this year imposing a 30% tax on NGO donations, supporting the legal triggers for exile.
- The Association of Journalists of El Salvador reported at least 40 journalists have departed from the country, as more than 100 people fled in recent months, marking the largest exodus since the civil war.
- Following Cristosal’s departure, critics warned of weakened oversight in El Salvador, as Noah Bullock said the organization’s exit will hinder legal support for detainees.
- As Bukele has grown empowered by his alliance with Donald Trump, risks to civil society deepen, signaling escalating repression and erosion of democratic freedoms.
108 Articles
108 Articles
Prominent human rights group flees El Salvador - Hawaii Tribune-Herald
Prominent Salvadoran human rights group Cristosal has closed its offices in El Salvador and its two dozen employees have departed for neighboring countries, amid threats and harassment by police, according to the group’s director, Noah Bullock, who announced the move Thursday.
Founded 25 years ago, Cristosal ensures that it will continue to operate from its offices in Guatemala and Honduras to protect the security of its team.
The organization attributes its departure to the "persecution" of the Bukele government and will continue to operate from its headquarters in Guatemala and Honduras.
By Merlin Delcid and Michael Rios, CNN Cristosal, a prominent human rights group critical of El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele, has suspended its operations in the country, citing government harassment, repression, and persecution of human rights defenders. Cristosal's executive director, Noah Bullock, announced that the organization will continue to operate from Guatemala and Honduras, as actions by the Salvadoran government have hindered it…
By Merlin Delcid and Michael Rios, CNN Cristosal, a prominent human rights group critical of El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele, has suspended its operations in the country, citing government harassment, repression, and persecution of human rights defenders. Cristosal's executive director, Noah Bullock, announced that the organization will continue to operate from Guatemala and Honduras, as actions by the Salvadoran government have hindered it…
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