Ruth Eleonora López has defended Venezuelan immigrants deported to El Salvador for the administration of the president of the United States.
An outstanding human rights lawyer known for defending deported immigrants amid the anti -immigrant policies of the president of the United States, Donald Trump, has been arrested in El Salvador.
Ruth Eleonora López, 47, a senior figure in the Chrysal Rights Group and a vocal criticism of the president of El Salvador, Nayib Bikele, a Trump ally, was arrested on Sunday night.
The arrest was confirmed by the country's attorney general, who in an online position accused López of state funds embezzled during his time in the Electoral Court of El Salvador more than a decade ago.
“Neither his family nor his legal team have managed to discover his whereabouts,” Cristosal said in a statement, calling the refusal to reveal their location or allow access to lawyers “a shameless violation of due process.”
The group said that his arrest “raises serious concerns about the growing risks facing human rights defenders in El Salvador.”
López has publicly criticized the mass imprisonment of the government of alleged gang members, many of whom have not been accused.
Chrysal, one of the most prominent human rights groups in Latin America, has helped Salvadoran families trapped in Bukele's security policies, as well as more than 250 Venezuelan immigrants who have been deported to El Salvador under the Trump administration.
Bukele, who has called himself “the best dictator in the world” and has cultivated close ties with Trump, said at the beginning of this year that El Salvador is ready to house US prisoners in a mega expanding prison last year.
In March, Trump rarely used war powers to send dozens of Venezuelans to El Salvador without trial, claiming links with the train gang of Aragua, a charge to their families and lawyers who deny.
The United States Supreme Court prohibited the Trump administration from quickly resuming the rapid deportations of Venezuelans under the Alien Enemies Law of 1798.
In April, Chrysal reported that the police had entered their offices during a press conference to film and photograph journalists and staff members, part of what observers say it is a broader campaign of harassment and intimidation against civil society organizations and independent media.
López was recognized by BBC as one of the 100 most inspiring and influential women in the world for his commitment to justice and the rule of law.
A joint statement signed by more than a dozen rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, demanded its immediate release.
“The state of exception of El Salvador has not only used to address violence related to gangs, but also as a tool to silence critical voices,” said the statement.
“Authoritarianism has increased in recent years as President Nayib Bukele has undermined institutions and the rule of law, and persecuted civil society organizations and independent journalists,” he added.
