San Salvador, (EFE). – The mother of prominent Salvadoran human rights lawyer Ruth López publicly blamed President Nayib Bukele for her daughter’s arrest, calling for her immediate release in a press conference on Monday.
“I demand Ruth’s freedom, and I demand it from Nayib Bukele, because he is the one responsible for this,” said Eleonora Alfaro, speaking alongside López’s partner, Louis Benavidez.
López, a well-known anti-corruption attorney and head of the Anti-Corruption Unit at the NGO Cristosal, was detained Sunday night.
According to the Attorney General’s Office, she is being investigated for alleged embezzlement dating back to her time as an assistant to former government official Eugenio Chicas.
Authorities have not specified the amount of money in question or presented her before a judge.
Her family denounced the arrest as politically motivated and a violation of due process. “This is cruelty,” Alfaro said.
Benavidez emphasized that they have no information about López’s whereabouts and have not been allowed to speak with her or confirm her detention location.
“We are deeply concerned because since the arrest last night, we have had no communication with her and do not know where she is being held,” said Benavidez. “This is happening because of her work defending human rights.”
Widespread condemnation from international and local voices
López’s arrest sparked a wave of condemnation from human rights organizations and international observers.
United States Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, expressed concern over her “reported disappearance” and called on the international community to “speak out when leaders arbitrarily imprison those in civil society who expose injustice.”
Amnesty International (AI) also condemned the arrest, saying that the state of emergency in El Salvador, initially implemented to combat gangs, is now being used as a “tool to silence critical voices.”
AI noted that López was “recognized for denouncing grave human rights violations and corruption.”
More than 50 national and international human rights organizations demanded her immediate release and full access to legal representation.
Alianza Américas warned from the United States that the lack of information regarding her detention amounts to a violation of due process and could be considered a forced disappearance.
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) issued a statement urging Salvadoran authorities to disclose López’s location and guarantee her safety and judicial rights.
The commission expressed “deep concern over allegations of forced disappearance,” noting that López was reportedly arrested by state security forces under an istrative order from the Attorney General’s Office.
Cristosal Executive Director Noah Bullock stated that López’s legal team attempted to locate her but were met with “hostility” from National Civil Police officers.
“She has investigated over 15 corruption cases involving the current government,” said Bullock. “These are serious cases that have been ignored by authorities.”
Ruth López and the Bukele government’s crackdown
Ruth López has been a central figure in El Salvador’s fight against corruption and impunity.
In 2024, she was named one of the BBC’s 100 most influential women for her work in transparency and ability.
As head of the anti-corruption team at Cristosal, she has filed constitutional challenges, authored transparency reports, and brought formal complaints to the Attorney General’s Office concerning the alleged misuse of state funds.
She also participated in hearings before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights regarding El Salvador and played a role in investigations into the government’s 513 million dollar emergency cash distribution during the COVID-19 pandemic, alleging serious irregularities.
Cristosal, widely respected in Central America, has documented thousands of human rights violations linked to El Salvador’s ongoing state of emergency.
These include arbitrary arrests, torture, and deaths in state custody.
Though the measure enjoys public for reducing gang violence, critics argue it has become a permanent tool of social control under Bukele’s istration.
The state of emergency, in effect since Mar. 2021, suspends key constitutional rights, such as access to legal defense, and limits istrative detention to 15 days without charges. Legal experts and rights groups warn that these conditions enable abuses and limit ability.
Human Rights Watch researcher Juan Pappier also condemned López’s detention, calling her “a prominent lawyer who has exposed corruption under Bukele’s government.”
He described Cristosal as the leading human rights organization in El Salvador and noted that López’s arrest sends a chilling message to other activists and legal professionals.
As of Monday night, López’s location remained unknown, and Salvadoran authorities had not provided further details on the case. EFE
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