Latin America

The world’s “coolest dictator” is imprisoning innocents at rates not seen since the country’s dictatorship and civil war. Solidarity activists are fighting back.

By Margaret Knapke | August 8, 2023

President Nayib Bukele’s regime has arrested nearly 72,000 Salvadorans over the last 16 months for allegedly assisting or belonging to criminal gangs. This includes at least 1,600 children.

It also includes “Teo” (not his real name), a boatman arrested in May 2022 when he declined to give a ride to members of the armed forces. He explained the boat didn’t have sufficient fuel, and his aunt had gone to buy more.

And “Julio” (not his real name), a laborer at a coconut cooperative. In July 2022, a soldier grabbed Julio’s friend — a man with epilepsy and speech difficulties — and asked his name. When he couldn’t speak, Julio explained his friend’s condition. The soldier released the friend — and arrested Julio.

Neither Teo nor Julio had any criminal records. Both are still in custody.

Last year, Bukele said that perhaps 1 percent of these mass arrests were made in error. But members of his own government disclosed that 20 percent of the arrested are likely innocent. And Ingrid Escobar, director of El Salvador’s Socorro Jurídico Humanitario (Humanitarian Legal Assistance), claims that at least 20,000 innocents have been detained.

More:
https://fpif.org/el-salvadors-dangerous-democratic-backslide/