Event Summary
As part of an ongoing closure of operations by civil society actors, three prominent civil society organisations (CSOs) announced either their closure or their withdrawal from implementing projects, citing the deteriorating political environment and the impact of the Foreign Agents Law.
On 5 September 2025, FESPAD, a leading organisation established in 1988, announced its closure. It stated that the law creates legal uncertainty for CSOs and renders operations financially unsustainable, particularly due to the 30% tax on foreign funding and donations, alongside the risk of sanctions and intrusive oversight.
Similarly, on 8 September 2025, FUDECSO announced its dissolution after 33 years of work, arguing that the law has made their continued existence “inviable.” The organisation described the law as a form of censorship and expressed concerns about persecution, harassment, and arbitrary arrests carried out under the country’s ongoing state of exception.
In addition, on 16 September 2025, the Journalists’ Association of El Salvador (APES) announced it would no longer implement projects funded by international cooperation. The organisation explained that the Foreign Agents Law creates an untenable legal and financial framework for such initiatives, and that continuing would expose them to undue risk.
These developments underscore the worsening enabling environment for civil society in El Salvador, where restrictive laws, financial barriers, and the prolonged state of exception are creating a climate of fear and making independent civic action increasingly unsustainable.