Particle.news
Download on the App Store
8 ARTICLES
·
last wk.

El Salvador Arrests Human Rights Lawyer Ruth Lopez on Embezzlement Charges

Cristosal condemns the arrest as part of a broader crackdown on government critics under President Bukele's state of emergency.

Image
Image
The Attorney General of El Salvador posted an image of Ruth Eleonora López to it's X page.
Relatives of Venezuelan migrants deported by the United States and imprisoned in El Salvador hold a protest in Caracas in April 2025

Overview

  • Ruth Lopez, a prominent human rights lawyer and anti-corruption advocate with Cristosal, was arrested Sunday night for alleged embezzlement during her time as a state adviser.
  • Authorities link Lopez to the ongoing criminal case against former Supreme Electoral Tribunal head Eugenio Chicas, who was detained in February on illicit enrichment charges.
  • Cristosal has denounced the arrest as a targeted effort to criminalize human rights defenders critical of President Bukele’s administration.
  • Lopez’s family and legal team report that her location has not been disclosed, raising concerns about procedural violations and due process under the state of emergency.
  • The three-year state of emergency in El Salvador has led to over 85,000 arrests, with rights groups accusing the government of using expanded powers to suppress dissent.