El Salvador president announces 'foreign agents' proposal, fueling concerns of crackdown on dissent
Source: Associated Press
El Salvador president announces ‘foreign agents’ proposal, fueling concerns of crackdown on dissent
By MEGAN JANETSKY and MARCOS ALEMÁN
Updated 3:35 PM EDT, May 14, 2025
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — El Salvador President Nayib Bukele said he’s pushing forward a “foreign agents” bill that critics say would deal another blow to civil society and independent journalistic organizations as the popular president tightens his control three years into a crackdown against gangs.
While Bukele announced few details of the proposal Tuesday night, the president wrote on X that the bill would include a 30% tax on donations to non-governmental organizations, some of which have long criticized his government for moves they assert are undemocratic. Because Bukele’s party has a firm grip on control of the country’s congress, he will likely face few hurdles in jamming the legislation through.
It resembles a similar proposal championed by Bukele in 2021, which collapsed under the weight of international criticism. But critics say the Salvadoran leader – adored by American right-wing figures – has become emboldened by his recent political alliance with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Juan Pappier, Americas director for Human Rights Watch, warned that it falls in line with measures passed by autocratic governments to crack down on dissent, citing laws in Nicaragua, Venezuela, Russia, Belarus and China.
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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/el-salvador-bukele-trump-ngos-foreign-agents-471ed9718bc91b670609128265b8e7b6
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