On 18 May 2025, the Salvadoran authorities arrested Ruth Eleonora López, the head of the anti-corruption unit of the organisation Cristosal, on allegations of collaborating in the theft of funds from state coffers. Ruth has led denunciations of arbitrary acts and violations committed by the Salvadoran state, and was recognised by the BBC on its 2024 list of most influential women in the world.
The arrest of the lawyer and activist took place under serious irregularities, and during the first hours both her family and her legal representatives lacked information about her whereabouts, denouncing her forced disappearance.
In a statement by Cristosal, the arrest of Ruth López is not an isolated incident, but part of a systematic government strategy to silence critical voices, dismantle civil society and consolidate an authoritarian regime