Political and Government News

Ernesto Muyshondt, Benito Lara, and three others are sentenced for negotiations with gangs.
SANTA TECLA, El Salvador — A Salvadoran court sentenced several prominent political figures Tuesday for negotiating with gangs, delivering some of the harshest rulings in recent electoral corruption cases. The First Sentencing Court of San Salvador handed former mayor Ernesto … Read more

Political Party Arena Announces It Will Participate in the 2027 Elections
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador — The right-wing Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA) announced it will compete in El Salvador’s 2027 elections, declaring itself “renewed” and ready to reclaim political ground after years of decline. Party president Carlos Saade made the announcement … Read more

El Salvador Buys 21 Bitcoins on Bitcoin Law’s Fourth Anniversary
LA LIBERTAD, El Salvador — President Nayib Bukele marked the fourth anniversary of El Salvador’s Bitcoin Law on Sunday by announcing the purchase of 21 bitcoins, despite ongoing restrictions tied to an International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan program. The acquisition, … Read more

Former El Salvador Attorney General Luis Martínez Sentenced to 10 Years for Corruption
SANTA TECLA, El Salvador — Former Attorney General Luis Martínez, once the highest-ranking prosecutor in El Salvador, was sentenced Monday to 10 years in prison after a court found him guilty of procedural fraud and failure to investigate corruption cases … Read more

CID Gallup Survey: ARENA, FMLN, and VAMOS Struggle to Gain Support Among Salvadoran Voters
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador — Once dominant forces in Salvadoran politics, the ARENA and FMLN parties are facing near-total rejection from the electorate, according to a new CID Gallup poll that signals their potential political extinction. The Costa Rica-based polling … Read more

President Bukele Meets Nuevas Ideas Leaders as Party Vows Firmness in Governance
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador — President Nayib Bukele met late Wednesday with lawmakers and senior figures from his ruling Nuevas Ideas party, just one day after the Legislative Assembly passed the controversial Foreign Agents Law. The New Ideas (Nuevas Ideas) … Read more

El Salvador’s Legislative Assembly Approves Foreign Agents Law, Imposes 30% Tax on NGO Donations
The Legislative Assembly of El Salvador has approved a controversial Foreign Agents Law that imposes a 30% tax on foreign donations to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and gives them 90 days to register with the government. The law, which was passed … Read more