logo
El Salvador's top human rights group flees President Bukele's ongoing crackdown on dissent

El Salvador's top human rights group flees President Bukele's ongoing crackdown on dissent

MEXICO CITY (AP) — El Salvador's top human rights organization, Cristosal, announced Thursday it is leaving the country because of mounting harassment and legal threats by the government of President Nayib Bukele.
The organization has been one of the most visible critics of Bukele, documenting abuses in the strongman's war on the country's gangs and the detention of hundreds of Venezuelan deportees in an agreement with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Bukele's government has long targeted opponents, but Cristosal Executive Director Noah Bullock said things reached a tipping point in recent months as Bukele has grown empowered by his alliance with Trump.
'The clear targeting of our organization has made us choose between exile or prison,' Bullock said in an interview with the Associated Press. 'The Bukele administration has unleashed a wave of repression over the past few months … There's been an exodus of civil society leaders, professionals and even businessmen.'
El Salvador 's government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Cristosal has been working in El Salvador since 2000, when it was founded by Evangelical bishops in order to address human rights and democratic concerns following the country's brutal civil war.
On Thursday, the human rights organization announced that it packed up its offices and moved 20 employees from the Central American nation to neighboring Guatemala and Honduras. Cristosal quietly got staff and their families out before publicly announcing they were leaving out of fear that they could be targeted by the Bukele government.
The decision came after its top anti-corruption lawyer Ruth López was jailed in June on enrichment charges, which the organization denies.
Cristosal's legal team has supported hundreds of cases alleging the government arbitrarily detained innocent people in its crackdown on gangs, and has unlawfully detained Venezuelans deported from the U.S. López headed many of those investigations. In a court appearance in June, she appeared shackled and escorted by police.
'They're not going to silence me, I want a public trial,' she shouted. 'I'm a political prisoner.'
For years, the organization said staff have been followed around by police officers, had their phones tapped by spyware like Pegasus, and been subject to legal attacks and defamation campaigns.
But López's court appearance was the moment that Bullock said he knew they would have to leave the country.
At the same time, the government has arrested more critics, while others have quietly fled the country. In late May, El Salvador's Congress passed a 'foreign agents' law, championed by the populist president. It resembles legislation implemented by governments in Nicaragua, Venezuela, Russia, Belarus and China to silence and criminalize dissent by exerting pressure on organizations that rely on overseas funding.
Bullock said the the law would make it easier for the government to criminalize staff and cripple the organization economically.
Cristosal's flight from the country marks another blow to checks and balances in a country where Bukele has virtually consolidated control of the government. Bullock said no longer being able to work in the country will make it significantly harder for the organization to continue their ongoing legal work, particularly supporting those detained with little access to due process.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Venezuelans deported to El Salvador describe ‘horror movie' mega-prison
Venezuelans deported to El Salvador describe ‘horror movie' mega-prison

Global News

time16 minutes ago

  • Global News

Venezuelans deported to El Salvador describe ‘horror movie' mega-prison

Venezuelan migrants who were deported from the U.S. to a notorious mega-prison in El Salvador without due process are describing the treatment they received as like a 'horror movie' and 'hell.' More than 250 Venezuelan nationals were released to their home country from CECOT, whose name translates roughly to the Terrorism Confinement Centre, last Friday in a prisoner exchange deal after they were removed from the U.S. under the Alien Enemies Act. During their four-month stay, they say they were denied adequate medical care, beaten by guards, fed rotten food and shot with rubber pellets. One of the detainees, 32-year-old makeup artist Andry Hernandez Romero, called his stay at CECOT 'an encounter with torture and death.' 'Many of our fellows have wounds from the nightsticks; they have fractured ribs, fractured fingers and toes, marks from the handcuffs, others have marks on their chests, on their face … from the projectiles,' he told journalists at his home in Capacho, near the Colombian border. Story continues below advertisement 1:12 'I thought they would kill us': Venezuelan migrant details alleged abuse in El Salvador prison U.S. President Donald Trump invoked the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to deport the men, whom his government accuses of being members of the Tren de Aragua gang, without normal immigration procedures. The deportations sparked a legal battle led by civil rights groups. Families and lawyers of many of the men have denied they have gang ties. Romero, detained at the U.S.-Mexico border during the Biden administration, had an active asylum case when he was deported to CECOT. His case was widely covered in the media. Romero, a gay man, fled Venezuela last summer and sought asylum in the U.S. He used a U.S. Customs and Border Protection phone app to arrange an appointment at a U.S. border crossing in San Diego. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy That's where he was asked about his tattoos. U.S. immigration authorities use a series of 'gang identifiers' to help them spot gang members. Story continues below advertisement 3:55 'Give us back our children': Venezuelan families demand release of detained migrants in El Salvador Romero, who is in his early 20s and insists he has no ties with the gang, has a crown tattooed on each wrist. One is next to the word 'Mom,' the other next to 'Dad.' The crowns, according to his lawyer, also pay homage to his hometown's Christmastime 'Three Kings' festival, and to his work in beauty pageants, where crowns are common. View image in full screen Andry Hernandez Romero, a Venezuelan migrant deported months ago to El Salvador by the United States under an immigration crackdown, shows tattoos on his wrists that read 'mom' and 'dad' after arriving home in Capacho Nuevo, Venezuela, Wednesday, July 23, 2025. Ariana Cubillos / The Associated Press Romero was taken into Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody and transferred to a California detention centre. He was eventually flown to CECOT amid Trump's immigration crackdown. Story continues below advertisement He isn't the only detainee speaking out about alleged abuse at CECOT. '(The guards) tortured us physically and psychologically,' José Mora, one of the released, told CNN. 'It was a nightmare. I heard many brothers asking for help, shouting, 'Mom, help!'' another detainee, Rafael Martínez, told the outlet. 'They beat us, they kicked us. I even have quite a few bruises on my stomach,' Carlos Uzcátegui, another detainee, told The Associated Press. View image in full screen Carlos Uzcátegui, one of the Venezuelan migrants deported months ago to El Salvador by the United States under an immigration crackdown, is embraced by his mother, Lisa Uzcátegui, upon arriving home in Lobatera, Venezuela, Wednesday, July 23, 2025. Ariana Cubillos / The Associated Press Neiyerver Adrián Leon Rengel, 27, told the AP that CECOT guards hit him with fists and batons and, at one point, brutally beat him after taking him into an area of the prison that didn't have cameras. Immigration agents took Rengel into custody on March 13 in the parking lot of his apartment building in Irving, Texas, claiming his tattoos reflected an affiliation with Tren de Aragua. He had entered the U.S. in 2023, was working as a barber and was scheduled to appear before an immigration judge in 2028. Story continues below advertisement Now, Rengel is taking steps toward suing the U.S. government, filing a US$1.3-million claim against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, seeking compensation for emotional and psychological injuries. In the claim, he says that, along with abuse, he was denied contact with a lawyer or his family during his time at CECOT. 'Federal officials lied to Rengel, telling him he was being sent to his country of origin, Venezuela,' the claim states, according to ABC News. 'Instead, for more than four months, Rengel languished in El Salvador – which is not his country of origin and a place where he has no ties – where he suffered physical, verbal, and psychological abuse.' In an email to the AP, Homeland Security called Rengel's claims a 'sob story' and said he had entered the country illegally. 'President Trump and (DHS) Secretary (Kristi) Noem will not allow foreign terrorist enemies to operate in our country and endanger Americans,' the email said. 'We hear far too much about gang members and criminals' false sob stories and not enough about their victims.' Venezuela's attorney general told Reuters his office will investigate El Salvador President Nayib Bukele over the alleged abuses. Bukele's office has not responded to Reuters' requests for comment on the alleged torture. The Trump administration's use of the Alien Enemies Act to expedite deportations has been the subject of contention and multiple legal challenges. Story continues below advertisement In March, U.S. District Court Judge James Boasberg ordered the deportation flights to return to the U.S. He's since said that the U.S. government may be in contempt of court for failing to do so. In June, he further ruled that the deported Venezuelan men must be given the opportunity to challenge their removals in U.S. courts. His decision indicated that there was 'significant evidence' that many of the men were languishing 'in a foreign prison on flimsy, even frivolous, accusations.' — With files from The Associated Press and Reuters

Trump says he could pardon Ghislaine Maxwell but hasn't thought about it
Trump says he could pardon Ghislaine Maxwell but hasn't thought about it

Toronto Sun

time16 minutes ago

  • Toronto Sun

Trump says he could pardon Ghislaine Maxwell but hasn't thought about it

Published Jul 25, 2025 • 2 minute read Audrey Strauss, acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, points to a photo of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, during a news conference in New York on July 2, 2020. Photo by John Minchillo / AP President Donald Trump said he had the ability to pardon Ghislaine Maxwell, the associate of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, in exchange for her cooperation with ongoing investigations but had not yet considered whether to do so. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account 'I'm allowed to do it, but it's something I have not thought about,' Trump said Friday at the White House before departing for a trip to Scotland. Trump demurred again at another point during his exchange with journalists, saying it was an ongoing investigation. Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for her role in helping Epstein sexually abuse underage women, is meeting Friday for the second day with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. Blanche, who previously served as Trump's personal attorney, set the meeting amid mounting pressure on the administration to release additional documents related to the case. Critics of the president — and even some congressional allies — have warned against Trump offering a pardon to Maxwell, saying it could prompt her to mislead investigators. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, a Kentucky Republican, told CNN this week that any request for a pardon should be 'off the table' and that he did not believe any fellow GOP members would support it. In recent days, the Wall Street Journal has reported that Trump is mentioned among scores of other business and political figures in the Justice Department's Epstein files, while stressing that inclusion did not mean that individuals were involved in criminal activity. The paper also reported that the president at one point wrote Epstein a letter with a drawing and personal message for a birthday book that was prepared for the late financier. Trump has denied the letter and filed a lawsuit against Dow Jones & Co., News Corp. and Rupert Murdoch for libel over their report. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Trump told reporters on Friday that he trusted Blanche in his conversations with Maxwell, calling the Justice Department official a 'professional lawyer.' 'I think he's been through things like this before,' Trump said. But the president also expressed frustration with the focus on his relationship with Epstein, saying the media should focus on other individuals and that he had 'nothing to do with the guy.' 'I never went to the island,' Trump said, appearing to refer to properties in the Caribbean that belonged to Epstein and where it is alleged that the financier sexually abused and trafficked young women. 'You should focus on some of the hedge fund guys. I'll give you a list,' Trump said. 'These guys lived with Jeffrey Epstein, I sure as hell didn't.' Read More Hockey Toronto & GTA Sports Toronto & GTA Columnists

Venezuelan baseball team denied visas into US, Little League International says
Venezuelan baseball team denied visas into US, Little League International says

Winnipeg Free Press

time16 minutes ago

  • Winnipeg Free Press

Venezuelan baseball team denied visas into US, Little League International says

A Venezuelan baseball team was denied visas into the United States and will miss this year's Senior Baseball World Series, Little League International confirmed Friday. The Cacique Mara team, from Maracaibo, Venezuela, was scheduled to participate in the tournament after winning the Latin American championship in Mexico. 'The Cacique Mara Little League team from Venezuela was unfortunately unable to obtain the appropriate visas to travel to the Senior League Baseball World Series,' Little League International said in a statement, adding that it is 'extremely disappointing, especially to these young athletes.' The Venezuelan team traveled to Colombia two weeks ago to apply for their visas at the U.S. embassy in Bogotá. The embassy did not immediately respond to an Associated Press request for comment. 'It is a mockery on the part of Little League to keep us here in Bogotá with the hope that our children can fulfill their dreams of participating in a world championship,' the team said in a statement. 'What do we do with so much injustice, what do we do with the pain that was caused to our children?' Venezuela is among a list of countries with restrictions for entering the U.S. or its territories. President Donald Trump has banned travel to the U.S. from 12 other countries, citing national security concerns. Earlier in the month, the Cuban women's volleyball team was denied visas to participate in a tournament in Puerto Rico. 'They told us that Venezuela is on a list because Trump says Venezuelans are a threat to the security of his state, of his country,' said Kendrick Gutiérrez, the league's president in Venezuela. 'It hasn't been easy the situation; we earned the right to represent Latin America in the World Championship.' The Senior League Baseball World Series, a tournament for players aged 13-16, is played each year in Easley, South Carolina. It begins Saturday. The tournament organizers replaced the Venezuelans with the Santa Maria de Aguayo team from Tamaulipas, Mexico, the team that was a runner-up in the Latin American championship. 'I think this is the first time this has happened, but it shouldn't end this way. They're going to replace us with another team because relations have been severed; it's not fair,' Gutiérrez added. 'I don't understand why they put Mexico in at the last minute and left Venezuela out.' ___ AP MLB:

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store