Life in El Salvador
U.S. Arrest Turkish Broker Linked to Venezuelan Oil Trade
The arrest of a prominent Venezuelan oil broker in the United States may signal turbulent times ahead for Nicolás Maduro’s administration following Donald Trump’s re-election. On November 2, Turkish businessman Taskin Torlak was arrested in Florida, on charges of conspiracy to transport sanctioned Venezuelan oil, the US Department of Justice reported. Torlak, who owns several shipping … Read more
Costa Rica Honors President Bukele with Top Diplomatic Award for Reducing Crime in El Salvador
Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves presented Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele with the highest distinction awarded by the Costa Rican nation to foreign heads of state. Bukele was awarded the Juan Mora Fernández National Order in the Degree of Grand Cross … Read more
Press Freedom: Bukele Highlights Government Achievements Amid Accusations of Press Freedom Violations
Nayib Bukele’s government in El Salvador has captured international attention for its story of economic stability and achieving security, in many cases projecting itself as a model of transformation in the region. However, this image of success contrasts with increasingly alarming complaints about the restriction of fundamental freedoms, particularly the … Read more
Will Costa Rica Follow Ecuador’s Path? Examining the Rise of Crime in the Pura Vida Country
High levels of violence indicate how once-peaceful Costa Rica is feeling the tightening grip of cocaine trafficking. But is the Central American country on a similar path to Ecuador to the south? Costa Rica’s homicides have grown slowly over the last several years but spiked to reach a historic high in 2023 with 907 recorded killings or … Read more
2024 Salvadoran Population Census Reveals 49,788 Foreigners Now Call El Salvador Home
According to the VII Population Census and VI Housing Census published by El Salvador’s Central Reserve Bank (BCR), 49,788 foreign-born individuals currently live in El Salvador. Those born abroad and residing in El Salvador make up 0.83% of the country’s … Read more
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