Cristosal Shuts Down Amid Bukele Crackdown

Cristosal, El Salvador's leading human rights and anti-corruption organization, has suspended operations and evacuated nearly all staff from the country amid intensifying harassment and threats under President Nayib Bukele's administration. The government recently imposed a 30% tax on NGO donations, further stifling civil society activity. The arrest and ongoing imprisonment of Cristosal's anti-corruption director, Ruth López, marked a turning point in the broader crackdown targeting activists, lawyers, and journalists. This repression has triggered the largest wave of political refugees since El Salvador's civil war. U.S. policy changes, including the withdrawal of aid and political support under the Trump administration, have weakened protections for civil society as Bukele consolidates power and suspends civil liberties under a continuing state of emergency. International rights groups warn that Cristosal's forced closure sends a chilling message to survivors, civil society, and the press about the dangers of opposing the government.