On May 18, authorities detained Ruth López, a reporter with the independent daily newspaper El Faro. Her arrest and subsequent jailing spurred an unprecedented rage and protectionism among her colleagues and defenders. In the wake of her detention, the newspaper’s editorial board’s chat group was filled with nervous colleagues searching for any news on her status. López remained in custody for 48 hours, during which time her family didn’t know where she was. This developing incident raised alarming questions regarding press freedom in El Salvador.
The recently raised stakes come despite, and perhaps in part during, President Nayib Bukele’s controversial, much-shot-at actions to win international donations. On May 12, Bukele introduced a Foreign Agents Bill to the national legislative assembly. This legislation would impose a 30% tax on all international payments to individuals and organizations his government deems “foreign agents.” This latest decision follows Bukele’s long-running campaign to centralize his narrative about his administration and silence those who speak out against him.
On the same day López was arrested, approximately 300 families from impoverished neighborhoods gathered outside Bukele’s luxurious residence, protesting their imminent eviction. Military police responded quickly to the protest, using deadly force to clear protestors. In response, they criminalized dissent by arresting five community leaders – an evangelical pastor and an environmental lawyer among them. These recent actions signal a new level of governmental hostility towards civil society.
Mostly, public sentiment has made López’s arrest impossible to ignore. Demonstrators have flooded the streets, carrying signs and chanting that she should be set free. Human Developmental rights advocates are taking issue with this unusual case. They say it underscores a dangerous trend of harassment and intimidation against independent journalists and activists in El Salvador — particularly those who speak out against President Bukele’s authoritarian regime.
On June 4, Ruth López was escorted by police to her hearing. They carried her to the Isidro Menéndez judicial center in San Salvador. The fear that the arrest generated among journalists—who now could face severe consequences for their own reporting—was immediate. No, shit, it can’t be!” shouted a colleague in an editor’s chat soon after López’s arrest. Her reaction summed up the fear that has engulfed the entire newsroom since.
As the government escalated its repression of dissent, Bukele’s tactics have attracted concern and criticism. He has defended his administration by blaming these “humble people” for being used by leftist organizations and globalist NGOs that want to destroy his administration. This latest speech fits with his overall plan to delegitimize opposition and get the upper hand on public debate.
Additionally, the president’s ties to gangs have been recently exposed. Indeed, Bukele’s party reportedly paid gangs $250,000 to allow his election as mayor of the capital city. Serious allegations have been made that his government has reached an agreement with gang members. This agreement has allegedly lasted more than eight years.
In perhaps the most impactful scene from the newsroom, a journalist’s daughter opened up. I just want you to know that, as in every video game, one life is gone for you. I really hope the other one operates. She honored the personal cost this environment inflicts on both journalists and their families.
With tensions escalating and uncertainty over the future of journalists such as Ruth López, hope remains as the world watches. All eyes are wondering what’s next for press freedom in El Salvador. I don’t think anybody has any clue what the hell it is they’re gonna do,” as one MPL colleague put it perfectly. Whenever you reach a final decision one way or the other, do let the rest of us know. Or just us left in the dark right now!