{"code":"26128","sect":"El Salvador","sect_slug":"el-salvador","hits":"3724","link":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/en\/202204\/el_salvador\/26128","link_edit":"","name":"Gang Expert Flees El Salvador after Intimidation from Bukele","slug":"gang-expert-flees-el-salvador-after-intimidation-from-bukele","info":"El Salvador, in Brief: Days after the passage of a law to criminalize media using gang sources, officials and even the president are smearing and threatening journalists with criminal investigations. El Faro journalists and a renowned expert on gangs, who left the country for his safety, have been at the center of these attacks. The IACHR asked El Salvador Wednesday to revise the text of the law and the U.S. State Department cited escalating restrictions on the press in its annual report detailing human rights abuses in El Salvador.\u00a0 Subscribe to our newsletter","mtag":"Newsletter","noun":{"html":"El Faro English","data":{"el-faro-english":{"sort":"","slug":"el-faro-english","path":"el_faro_english","name":"El Faro English","edge":"0","init":"0"}}},"view":"3724","pict":{"cms-image-000036272-jpeg":{"feat":"1","sort":"36272","name":"cms-image-000036272.jpeg","link":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/images\/cms-image-000036272.jpeg","path":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/images\/cms-image-000036272.jpeg","back":"","slug":"cms-image-000036272-jpeg","text":"<p>President Nayib Bukele gives a speech at the entrance to the Legislative Assembly, prior to the military occupation of the Assembly on February 9, 2020. Photo for El Faro: Carlos Barrera<\/p>","capt":"\u003Cp\u003EPresident Nayib Bukele gives a speech at the entrance to the Legislative Assembly, prior to the military occupation of the Assembly on February 9, 2020. Photo for El Faro: Carlos Barrera\u003C\/p\u003E"},"cms-image-000037418-jpg":{"feat":"0","sort":"37418","name":"cms-image-000037418.jpg","link":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/images\/cms-image-000037418.jpg","path":"https:\/\/elfaro.net\/images\/cms-image-000037418.jpg","back":"","slug":"cms-image-000037418-jpg","text":"<p>Family members, mostly women, travel to overcrowded detention facilities in search of their detained relatives, who under El Salvador's state of exception can be held for up to 15 days without cause. Many bring breakfast, lunch, and dinner with them for their loved ones behind bars. Photo: Carlos Barrera\/El Faro<\/p>","capt":"\u003Cp\u003EFamily members, mostly women, travel to overcrowded detention facilities in search of their detained relatives, who under El Salvador's state of exception can be held for up to 15 days without cause. Many bring breakfast, lunch, and dinner with them for their loved ones behind bars. Photo: Carlos Barrera\/El Faro\u003C\/p\u003E"}},"pict_main__sort":36272,"date":{"live":"2022\/04\/15"},"data_post_dateLive_YY":"2022","data_post_dateLive_MM":"04","data_post_dateLive_DD":"15","text":"\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EPresident Nayib Bukele, cabinet members, legislators, and others affiliated with his party are publicly threatening to use the recently passed \u003Ca href=\"\/en\/202204\/el_salvador\/26120\/Gag-Order-for-Journalism-on-Gangs.htm\"\u003Egag order\u003C\/a\u003E against sharing messages or images from gangs, and have singled out members of El Faro who have covered the administration\u2019s gang negotiations.\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EOn April 8, three days after the law was passed, a self-identified member of Nuevas Ideas, Kevin S\u00e1nchez, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/KevinsNI2019\/status\/1512630326769688581\"\u003Eannounced\u003C\/a\u003E on Twitter that he planned to \u003Cstrong\u003Efile charges against two El Faro journalists\u003C\/strong\u003E, \u00d3scar Mart\u00ednez and Gabriela C\u00e1ceres, for \u201creplicating gang-related messages with the goal of stoking fear in the population.\u201d He included a screenshot of C\u00e1ceres\u2019 April 5 \u003Ca href=\"\/es\/202204\/el_salvador\/26113\/Juez-document%C3%B3-que-Crook-fue-liberado-pese-a-tener-procesos-penales-abiertos.htm\"\u003Earticle\u003C\/a\u003E that revealed MS-13 leader, alias \u201cCrook,\u201d was freed from a Salvadoran prison even though he was wanted for extradition in the U.S. and faced additional charges.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EThen, on April 11, Bukele \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/nayibbukele\/status\/1513591841656127488\"\u003Etweeted\u003C\/a\u003E a recent interview by anthropologist and journalist Juan Mart\u00ednez explaining the role of gangs in Salvadoran society as \u201cfilling an unfortunate but necessary function\u201d in some marginalized communities. Bukele called Mart\u00ednez \u201ctrash\u201d and his comments \u201cabsurd.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EThe president's tweet led to online \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AlexiaRivasG1\/status\/1513651477889404942\"\u003Eharassment\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MarcelaPinedaSV\/status\/1513612256906563595\"\u003Ethreats\u003C\/a\u003E, including that of criminal persecution. Prisons Director Osiris Luna, the subject of multiple \u003Ca href=\"\/en\/202109\/el_salvador\/25736\/Top-Bukele-Official-Embezzled-$16-Million-in-Covid-19-Emergency-Food-Supplies.htm\"\u003EEl Faro investigations into corruption\u003C\/a\u003E who has been sanctioned by the U.S. for negotiating with gangs, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/OsirisLunaMeza\/status\/1513628754307952647\"\u003Ereplied\u003C\/a\u003E to Bukele\u2019s tweet calling Mart\u00ednez a \u201cterrorist\u201d and a \u201cspokesperson\u201d for the gangs. Mart\u00ednez then\u003Cstrong\u003E left the country because of death threats and fear of an unfair judicial process\u003C\/strong\u003E against him.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E \u003Cfigure class=\"pict pict_land pict_move_posc 0 cs_img cs_img--curr rule--ss_c\" data-shot=\"pict\" data-hint=\"pict\"\u003E \u003Cdiv class=\"pict__pobj text-overflow\"\u003E\u003Cimg src=https:\/\/elfaro.net\/get_img?ImageWidth=2000&ImageHeight=1333&ImageId=36272 class=\"pobj\" style=\"max-width: 100%\" rel=\"resizable\" alt=\"President Nayib Bukele gives a speech at the entrance to the Legislative Assembly, prior to the military occupation of the Assembly on February 9, 2020. Photo for El Faro: Carlos Barrera\" \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E \u003Cfigcaption class=\"pict__text cs_img_caption folk_content typo_buttons line--ss_s0c line--ss_s0c--auto block full-width text-overflow rule--ss_l relative\"\u003E \u003Cdiv class=\"__content block-inline full-width align-top tint-text--idle relative\"\u003E President Nayib Bukele gives a speech at the entrance to the Legislative Assembly, prior to the military occupation of the Assembly on February 9, 2020. Photo for El Faro: Carlos Barrera \u003C\/div\u003E \u003C\/figcaption\u003E \u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EJuan Mart\u00ednez is a long-time contributor to U.S. outlet Insight Crime, and has also collaborated with El Faro and Factum, among others. He is one of the leading academics who has studied and explained gangs as a social phenomenon in El Salvador.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u201cThe president put me, my family, and my sources at risk, but the gravest of all this is that there is a state propaganda apparatus committed to intimidating the journalistic profession,\u201d Mart\u00ednez told El Faro English. He underscored that his departure is temporary. \u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EAlong with his brother, \u00d3scar, who is editor-in-chief of El Faro, he published in 2019 the book \u201cThe Hollywood Kid,\u201d which has been translated into a handful of languages including German, Italian, and Polish. For his first book, Ver, O\u00edr y Callar (See, Hear, and Stay Silent), in 2012 he spent a year living in MS-13 territory in El Salvador to document the gang\u2019s internal dynamics.\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u201cJuan has risked his life as almost no one has to explain the phenomenon of the gangs, which mark the life and death of millions of Central Americans,\u201d \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Dromomanos\/status\/1513642481274994691\"\u003Etweeted\u003C\/a\u003E Mexican journalism collective Drom\u00f3manos. \u201cNow it\u2019s the president of his country who is putting him in danger. All of our support, @juan_martinezd.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003ENumerous Latin American journalists condemned these actions as part of a broader government \u003Cstrong\u003Estrategy to silence and criminalize the free press in El Salvador\u003C\/strong\u003E. \u201cThey\u2019re following the recipe: When they don\u2019t know who to blame, they point their finger at the journalist,\u201d \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/marcelaturati\/status\/1513653644549365767\"\u003Etweeted\u003C\/a\u003E acclaimed Mexican human rights journalist Marcela Turati. \u201cThis is textbook behavior from this government.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EThe threats also extended to other journalists and media outlets, including the false accusation from \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/diarioelsalvador.com\/difunden-video-donde-exdirector-de-la-ansp-expresa-que-periodista-bryan-es-hermano-de-un-palabrero\/212587\/\"\u003Estate media\u003C\/a\u003E that one person arrested for being a gang member is the brother of freelance and former Revista Factum journalist Bryan Avelar, who has no brothers. \u201cThe strategy of linking journalism to gangs doesn\u2019t just open the possibility of arbitrary detentions of journalists,\u201d Revista Factum said in an \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RevistaFactum\/status\/1513894961594310656\"\u003Eeditorial\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cIt is also a desperate attempt by the government to keep citizens from seeing them for what they are: a fraud.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u201cSilence only favors dictators,\u201d \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/jucabow\/status\/1513899707872985097\"\u003Etweeted\u003C\/a\u003E journalist Juan Carlos Bow of Nicaraguan outlet Confidencial, referring to the gag order and recent threats against Salvadoran journalists.\u00a0\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\"Risks of Severe Criminalization\"\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EIn a statement April 13, the Office of the Special Rapporteur of Press Freedom within the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) stated that the \u201creforms, as they were written, \u003Cstrong\u003Eactivate risks of severe criminalization of activities that are legitimate\u003C\/strong\u003E, and that are of particular transcendence for democratic life, like journalism, the defense of human rights, parliamentary activity, and academic investigation.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EThe special rapporteur criticized the vague language of the gag order and called on the Salvadoran government to adapt the law to international standards.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u201cDemocratic understanding of matters of general interest \u2014including public security\u2014 requires legal certainty that people can participate freely and in an informed way in the matters that concern them without fear of criminalization,\u201d the statement continued.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EThe IACHR also questioned authorities\u2019 claims that the gag order was necessary on public security grounds.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EThe U.S. State Department and human rights groups spoke out against Bukele\u2019s intensifying press crackdown following the country\u2019s \u003Ca href=\"\/en\/202203\/el_salvador\/26100\/Is-Bukele\"\u003Emost murderous day\u003C\/a\u003E in two decades, and the ensuing \u003Ca href=\"\/en\/202203\/columns\/26101\/Bukele\"\u003Estate of exception\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\"\/en\/202203\/el_salvador\/26102\/No-New-Ideas-after-El-Salvador%E2%80%99s-Homicide-Crisis.htm\"\u003Eclaims of mass arrests\u003C\/a\u003E of more than 10,000 alleged gang members in 17 days.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E \u003Cfigure class=\"pict pict_land pict_move_posc 0 cs_img cs_img--curr rule--ss_c\" data-shot=\"pict\" data-hint=\"pict\"\u003E \u003Cdiv class=\"pict__pobj text-overflow\"\u003E\u003Cimg src=https:\/\/elfaro.net\/get_img?ImageWidth=3000&ImageHeight=2000&ImageId=37418 class=\"pobj\" style=\"max-width: 100%\" rel=\"resizable\" alt=\"Family members, mostly women, travel to overcrowded detention facilities in search of their detained relatives, who under El Salvador's state of exception can be held for up to 15 days without cause. Many bring breakfast, lunch, and dinner with them for their loved ones behind bars. Photo: Carlos Barrera\/El Faro\" \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E \u003Cfigcaption class=\"pict__text cs_img_caption folk_content typo_buttons line--ss_s0c line--ss_s0c--auto block full-width text-overflow rule--ss_l relative\"\u003E \u003Cdiv class=\"__content block-inline full-width align-top tint-text--idle relative\"\u003E Family members, mostly women, travel to overcrowded detention facilities in search of their detained relatives, who under El Salvador's state of exception can be held for up to 15 days without cause. Many bring breakfast, lunch, and dinner with them for their loved ones behind bars. Photo: Carlos Barrera\/El Faro \u003Cdiv class=\"photographer text_italic rule--ss_l tint-text--idle\"\u003E \u003C\/div\u003E \u003C\/div\u003E \u003C\/figcaption\u003E \u003C\/figure\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u201cWe condemn the increased gang violence and homicides in El Salvador,\u201d U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SecBlinken\/status\/1513143018571894793\"\u003Etweeted\u003C\/a\u003E on April 10. \u201cWe also urge the Government of El Salvador to uphold due process and protect civil liberties, including freedoms of press, peaceful assembly, and expression.\"\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EBukele \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/nayibbukele\/status\/1513283805167058945?s=20&t=FMsGVtYWgMF0K6UtfTCBDg\"\u003Eretorted\u003C\/a\u003E: \u201cI have a journalist friend, he wants access to Gitmo to exercise his \u201cfreedom of the press\u201d rights, and check if the detainees have enjoyed their \u201ccivil liberties\u201d and a \u201cdue process\u201d. You have terrorists that threaten you, and we have terrorists that threaten us.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EThe State Department\u2019s 2021 human rights \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/sv.usembassy.gov\/our-relationship\/official-reports\/hrr_2021\/\"\u003Ereport\u003C\/a\u003E documented the continued violence and harassment against journalists in El Salvador under Bukele\u2019s government, including the audit of El Faro and the case of a \u003Cstrong\u003Ejournalist from El Diario de Hoy who was hit by a policeman\u003C\/strong\u003E while covering a crime scene.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EIt cited various examples of the government censorship, such as the case of a mass grave in Chalchuapa, in which a court heeded a request of the Attorney General\u2019s Office in ordering Revista Factum to take down an article that contradicted the government\u2019s narrative because it allegedly violated a law protecting victims\u2019 rights.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EThe report also named the expulsion of El Faro editor Daniel Liz\u00e1rraga and denial of El Faro English reporter Roman Gressier\u2019s work permit as examples of censorship.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u201cThe increased villainization of the role of media inspired supporters of the president to threaten journalists as well,\u201d the report said.\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EIn an \u003Ca href=\"\/es\/202204\/columnas\/26125\/El-silencio-no-es-opci%C3%B3n.htm\"\u003Eeditorial\u003C\/a\u003E published April 9, titled \u201cSilence Is Not an Option,\u201d El Faro\u2019s Editorial Board condemned the gag order law proposed by Bukele and approved by his party. \u201cThe legalization of censorship is an attack against the freedoms of the press and expression without precedent since the end of the civil war.\u201d\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u201cThe gangs are not the real objective of the regime,\u201d\u003C\/strong\u003E \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/davidemorDDHH\/status\/1513863840441765894\"\u003Etweeted\u003C\/a\u003E Salvadoran human rights defender David Morales this week, \u201cbut rather the total control of the population and political system. The dictatorship is arriving.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cbr\/\u003E\u003Cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003EThanks for your time. If you\u2019ve gained from getting our work in your inbox, please consider \u003Cstrong\u003Efunding independent journalism in Central America\u003C\/strong\u003E, in its most critical hour, at \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/support.elfaro.net\/\"\u003Esupport.elfaro.net\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E"}