Leading Anti-Corruption Group Exits El Salvador Amid Government Crackdown

Cristosal, a leading human rights and anti-corruption organization in El Salvador, has suspended its in-country operations and relocated abroad due to growing government repression under President Nayib Bukele. The organization announced on Thursday that it has moved its staff outside of El Salvador and will continue its work in exile. According to Executive Director Noah Bullock, speaking from Guatemala, the decision was made when it became evident that the government was prepared to criminally prosecute the group and that fair trials or legal defense were no longer guaranteed.

Cristosal's departure comes amid a broader and intensifying crackdown on dissent by the Bukele administration. The government has increasingly targeted organizations and individuals critical of its policies on corruption and security. These include rights groups and independent media outlets, which critics argue are being subjected to fabricated legal challenges to silence opposition. A prominent example is the arrest of Ruth Lopez, a well-known anti-corruption advocate with Cristosal, who was detained in May on corruption charges. Her arrest has been condemned by international organizations, including Amnesty International and the United Nations.

In addition to the arrests, Bukele’s government introduced new legislation in May requiring all non-governmental organizations (NGOs) receiving foreign funding to register with the government and pay additional taxes. This move is widely viewed as another tool to pressure civil society and reduce external influence on domestic affairs.

Cristosal, which has operated in El Salvador for 25 years, has drawn the ire of Bukele’s administration for its investigations into government corruption and for documenting the impact of the country’s aggressive anti-gang campaign. Since 2022, the government has operated under a continuous “state of exception,” granting security forces sweeping powers while suspending key civil liberties such as the right to legal defense, due process, and freedom of expression. In a statement, Cristosal warned that under such authoritarian conditions, "El Salvador has ceased to be a state of rights," noting that even expressing opinions or demanding basic rights can lead to imprisonment.

While Bukele’s security measures have been credited with significantly reducing gang-related violence and restoring public order in cities previously dominated by gangs, the methods have raised serious concerns. Thousands of people have been detained without formal charges, often held in poor conditions and denied legal recourse. Human rights groups argue that the state of emergency has been misused to silence criticism and punish dissent.

Moreover, allegations have emerged suggesting that Bukele may have engaged in covert negotiations with powerful gang leaders, raising questions about the long-term sustainability and integrity of his anti-gang strategy. Despite these criticisms, Bukele remains extremely popular among the public, due largely to the perceived success in tackling gang violence.

This environment of legal uncertainty and repression has also affected media organizations. In April 2023, El Faro, one of the country’s most respected investigative news outlets, announced it would relocate its legal and administrative operations abroad due to fears of government surveillance and legal harassment. Its journalists, however, continue reporting from within El Salvador.

Together, these developments highlight the increasing challenges faced by civil society and the press in El Salvador, raising alarms about democratic backsliding and the erosion of fundamental rights.