El Salvador’s celebrated crime-fighting president is intensifying arrests of critics and journalists while Trump offers tacit support, raising questions about the cost of his “law and order” success.
Key Takeaways
- President Nayib Bukele has secured a second term despite constitutional prohibitions against consecutive presidencies, after replacing all five constitutional court magistrates with loyalists.
- Nearly 80,000 Salvadorans have been detained since 2022 under a “state of exception,” with human rights groups documenting at least 240 deaths in custody.
- Prominent critics including constitutional lawyer Enrique Anaya have been arrested on charges widely viewed as politically motivated.
- Journalists from news outlet El Faro have fled the country after exposing alleged secret negotiations between Bukele’s government and gang leaders.
- The Biden administration has softened its criticism of Bukele as El Salvador helps reduce migration to the United States.
El Salvador’s “World’s Coolest Dictator” Consolidates Power
President Nayib Bukele began his second term as El Salvador’s leader this summer, despite the country’s constitution explicitly prohibiting consecutive presidential terms. This constitutional override was made possible after his allies in the Salvadoran National Assembly removed and replaced all five magistrates of the Constitutional Court with Bukele supporters in 2021. The new court promptly ruled that Bukele could run for reelection, setting a dangerous precedent for executive power in the Central American nation. Bukele, who has embraced the nickname “world’s coolest dictator,” has gained immense popularity for his crackdown on gang violence that previously plagued the country.
“Five years ago in this same plaza, I asked you to trust in us and the decisions we are going to take, even if some of them seemed like bitter medicine. The people of El Salvador took the decision to follow the prescription. And together, we have rid ourselves of the gang cancer,” said PRESIDENT NAYIB BUKELE.
Under Bukele’s “state of exception,” which has been repeatedly extended since March 2022, authorities have detained nearly 80,000 people, many without formal charges or due process. Human rights organizations have documented widespread abuses in Salvadoran prisons, including torture and at least 240 deaths in police custody. These mass detentions have transformed El Salvador from one of the world’s most dangerous countries to one with drastically reduced homicide rates, but at a significant cost to civil liberties and democratic institutions.
Targeting Critics and Journalists
The Bukele government has increasingly targeted anyone who dares criticize its methods. In a move that shocked legal observers, authorities arrested constitutional lawyer Enrique Anaya on alleged money laundering charges. Anaya, a vocal critic of Bukele’s unconstitutional maneuvers, joins a growing list of professionals targeted for speaking out. Human rights lawyer Ruth López was also detained, while numerous journalists, academics, and activists have fled the country to avoid persecution. The pattern suggests a systematic campaign to eliminate voices of dissent.
“We know that your government knows of the kidnapping and deaths of our children and families in Bukele’s jails. President Biden, it shames us that your government decided to participate in the inauguration of a new dictator in El Salvador,” stated CONSUELO GÓMEZ.
Journalists from the respected news site El Faro have been forced to leave El Salvador after receiving credible threats of arrest. Their reporting had exposed alleged secret negotiations between Bukele’s administration and gang leaders—revelations that undermined the government’s tough-on-crime narrative. Additionally, El Salvador’s Congress passed a “foreign agents” law that requires organizations receiving international funding to register with the government, a transparent attempt to control civil society. A leaked government document reportedly contains a list of “priority objectives” for arrest, including numerous journalists and civil society leaders.
U.S. Policy Shift and Trump’s Support
The Biden administration initially criticized Bukele’s authoritarian tendencies but has notably softened its stance as El Salvador helped reduce migration to the United States—a key political concern for Democrats. Despite previous refusals to meet with Bukele due to concerns over his democratic backsliding, the administration sent a high-level delegation to his inauguration. This policy shift reflects a troubling prioritization of migration control over democratic principles, effectively abandoning Salvadoran civil society to Bukele’s increasingly repressive regime.
“We don’t have to applaud everything that they’re doing, but there is a national security interest that should also be balanced,” declared Florida Senator Marco Rubio.
President Trump’s administration has shown particular warmth toward Bukele. Donald Trump Jr., Congressman Matt Gaetz, and media personality Tucker Carlson all attended Bukele’s inauguration, signaling strong support from American conservatives who admire his tough-on-crime approach. This relationship has reportedly emboldened Bukele to accelerate his crackdown on dissent, knowing he has backing from the American president. Critics suggest that this alliance prioritizes the appearance of law and order over the substance of constitutional rights and democratic governance—a bargain that may deliver short-term security at the expense of long-term stability.
Arrest of Human Rights Lawyer in El Salvador Raises Concerns of Unlawful Intimidation
On May 18, 2025, Ruth Eleonora López, a prominent human rights lawyer and senior figure at the nonprofit organization Cristosal, was arrested in El Salvador. The detention of López, who has… pic.twitter.com/iMMr2GhwkS
— WEB3 (@WEB3WORLDWAR) May 20, 2025
The Future of Salvadoran Democracy
El Salvador stands at a crossroads where the population’s understandable desire for security has been leveraged to dismantle democratic safeguards. While Bukele’s gang crackdown has undeniably reduced violent crime, the methods employed raise serious questions about the future of Salvadoran democracy. With journalists in exile, critics in jail, and constitutional protections ignored, the country risks sliding further into authoritarian rule. The situation creates a troubling precedent for other developing democracies, suggesting that constitutional limits on power can be sacrificed in the name of security and that Western democracies may overlook such transgressions when they align with their own interests.
