Outcry in El Salvador as Prominent Anti-Corruption Lawyer Detained

Ruth López, a well-known anti-corruption lawyer in El Salvador, has been arrested, raising concerns about an escalating crackdown on dissent by President Bukele's government. Rights groups criticize the growing authoritarianism in the country.

In a controversial move that is raising alarms among human rights advocates, Ruth López, a prominent lawyer recognized for her fierce stance against corruption in El Salvador, was detained on Sunday night. Serving as the head of the anti-corruption and justice unit within her human rights organization, López has been a vocal critic of President Nayib Bukele's administration and its alleged misconduct.

The attorney general's office confirmed the arrest, labeling López's detention as "administrative" and suggesting a connection to her previous work with Eugenio Chicas, a former magistrate who was arrested earlier this year on allegations of illicit enrichment. López is currently uncharged and her whereabouts remain unknown. The attorney general's statement accusing López of collaboration in a theft from public finances has drawn sharp rebukes from various human rights groups, who perceive her arrest as a direct attack on political dissent.

The timing of López's arrest has raised eyebrows, particularly in light of the increasingly authoritarian tendencies observed in Bukele's government. Following a controversial relationship with former President Trump, Bukele has been accused of intensifying pressure on political critics, with López's arrest seen as part of a broader pattern of repression against dissenting voices in the country. Experts and activists alike warn that this incident marks a significant escalation in the systematic persecution of those who challenge the authority of Bukele’s administration.