Life in El Salvador
Is the Trump Administration Trading MS-13 Prosecutions for Mass Deportations?
The recent deportation of a high-ranking MS-13 leader as part of a broader mass removal of Venezuelan nationals is raising questions about whether the Trump administration is compromising its long-standing efforts to dismantle transnational gangs in favor of rapid deportation policies. César Humberto López Larios, known as “Greñas,” a veteran leader of … Read more
Maduro Urges Bukele to Return Venezuelans Deported by U.S. and Held in El Salvador
CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Wednesday publicly urged Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele to release and repatriate 238 Venezuelan migrants deported by the United States and currently detained in El Salvador—escalating diplomatic tensions between the three nations. Maduro … Read more
Transfer365 Saves Salvadorans Over $153 Million in Interbank Fees: Central Bank (BCR) Reports
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador — Salvadorans have saved more than $153 million in interbank fees thanks to Transfer365, the country’s digital payments system, according to El Salvador’s Central Reserve Bank (BCR). Transfer365 is El Salvador’s national real-time payment system, designed … Read more
Spain Joins El Salvador’s Labor Migration Program, Opening New Legal Work Opportunities
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador — Spain has officially joined El Salvador’s Labor Migration Program, offering a new pathway for Salvadorans to work abroad under legal and secure conditions. Rolando Castro, the Ministry of Labor, announced that a new group of … Read more
Archbishop Luis Escobar Alas Delivers 150,000 Signatures Against El Salvador’s Metallic Mining Law
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador — In a significant show of public opposition to mining in El Salvador, Archbishop Luis Escobar Alas delivered a letter and 150,000 signatures to the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, urging lawmakers to repeal the recently approved … Read more
San Salvador: Six-Plus Years Out of the 50 Most Violent Cities in the World
For years, San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador, stood as a symbol of urban violence, plagued by rampant gang activity, extortion, and one of the highest homicide rates in the world. The city’s name was a constant presence on … Read more
Salvadoran Catholic Church to Submit Signatures Urging Repeal of Metallic Mining Law
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador — The Catholic Church in El Salvador will formally present thousands of collected signatures to the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, March 18, in a bid to repeal the recently enacted General Law on Metallic Mining. Archbishop … Read more
El Salvador Receives Over 225 Deported Gang Members from the U.S., Including Tren de Aragua and MS-13
TECOLUCA, El Salvador — In a quiet yet heavily guarded early morning operation on Sunday, El Salvador received over 225 deported gang members from the United States—a move that underscores growing international cooperation in the fight against transnational crime. Among … Read more
President Bukele Warns Municipality Mayors: Roll Back Tax and Permit Hikes or Face Extortion Charges
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador — President Nayib Bukele issued a stern ultimatum to all 44 municipal governments across El Salvador, demanding they immediately reverse what he described as illegal and abusive increases in local taxes or permit fees or face … Read more
