Current Events
A ‘Culture of Silence’ in El Salvador: Press Freedom Under Bukele’s Presidency
Nearly 80,000 people have been detained, and up to 200 may have died in state custody, since El Salvador President Nayib Bukele’s declared a state of emergency in March 2022, temporarily suspending constitutional rights and civil liberties in the country in the … Read more
Historic Guilty Plea by Bank Sheds Light on US Crackdown on Money Laundering
For the first time, a US bank has admitted to helping criminal networks in Colombia launder hundreds of millions of dollars in dirty money, highlighting the fruits of a renewed push to target those aiding the region’s money launderers. TD Bank, N.A. and TD Bank USA, N.A. pleaded guilty to a money laundering conspiracy and violating the … Read more
This Is How Seven Universities From El Salvador Rank in the QS World University Rankings
Seven Salvadoran Universities were included in the World University Ranking of Latin America and the Caribbean universities for 2025, published in early October by the QS World University Rankings. The seven universities are the Central American University José Simeón Cañas … Read more
The State of Emergency Strategy: Why Latin American Leaders Keep Turning to It
Several Latin American countries have recently declared or prolonged states of emergency aimed at combating organized crime, even though the results of these efforts so far have been lackluster. In the first days of October, the governments of Ecuador, Honduras, and El Salvador extended their existing states of emergency. In general, this type of measure suspends civil rights such as … Read more
El Salvador’s Bitcoin Experiment: Most Salvadorans Aren’t Using the Crypto Coin
A recent survey conducted by the Francisco Gavidia University (UFG) revealed that 92% of Salvadorans do not use Bitcoin for their daily transactions. Only 7.5% reported using the cryptocurrency, while 0.5% chose not to respond. This survey results indicate that … Read more
UFG Survey: Despite Economic Struggles, Most Salvadorans Support the Country’s Current Direction
The “Rumbo País 2024” survey released today by Disruptiva of the Francisco Gavidia University (UFG) shows that Salvadorans remain confident in the country’s direction despite economic challenges. When asked, “How do you see the future of the country?“ 58.2% responded … Read more
DEA Under Fire for Delaying Reports on Foreign Partners’ Security Abuses
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the main agency investigating organized crime and drug trafficking for the United States government in the region, repeatedly delayed reporting human rights violations by the Latin American security forces it was partnering with, adding to a series of scandals at the world’s most influential anti-drug agency. The newest findings came from an … Read more