A critical human rights groups of El Salvador President Nayib Bukele suspended operations in the country on Thursday (17).
In communicating the decision, the executive director of the CristosalNoah Bullock, cited harassment, repression and the defenders of human rights.
He said the group will continue to operate from the Guatemala e Hondurasand that the actions of the Salvadoran government made it difficult to continue the work.
“We are forced to choose between prison or exile,” Bullock said at a press conference in the city of Guatemala.
The president of the country began one, but the action expanded to civil society groups and journalists.
The government has defended its actions, pointing out significant reductions in gang violence across the country, but opponents say this has come at the expense of mass imprisonment and erosion of civil liberties.
Cristosal’s announcement arises almost two months after one of its members, human rights lawyer and activist Ruth Eleonora López was detained by the Salvadoran authorities on charges of illicit enrichment.
López declared himself innocent of the accusations and asked for a public trial.
The group’s leaders believe their detention is not an isolated case, but a point of turning to them as an organization.
“With the threats we received, with the criminalization of Ruth and the limited possibilities of security guarantees, we are more useful (to the cause) because we are out, but free than risking the arrest in El Salvador,” said the group president.
“El Salvador currently offers no conditions to continue this work in person,” added Abraham Ábargo, director of litigation of Cristosal.
Cristosal operates in El Salvador for 25 years. During it, he conducted several investigations and condemned what he considers lack of transparency, liability, deterioration of democracy and violations of human rights.
Meanwhile, the government accuses organizations as Christosal of being political activists and neglecting the rights of salvadors.
Cristosal is the last group to be expelled from the country as part of government repression.
Foreign Agents’ Law
The law of foreign agents of El Salvador has been another obstacle to Christosal.
The rule imposes a 30% tax on transactions, disbursements, donations or imports received by non -governmental organizations whose activities in El Salvador are funded abroad. The taxes collected, under the terms of the law, will be used for projects of general or social interest.
Human rights groups described the legislation as an existential threat.
“The intention is to apply the law discretionarily to silence, even criminalize us and other human rights organizations,” said Bullock.
