El Salvador's Bukele faces human rights scrutiny amid authoritarian concerns

Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele marks six years in office amidst growing concerns over human rights violations and authoritarian tendencies. Despite his enduring popularity for tackling gang violence, critics argue that Bukele's methods have come at a steep cost to civil liberties. The recent arrest of prominent human rights lawyer Ruth Lopez has intensified accusations of a crackdown on dissent, with human rights organisations warning of a slide towards dictatorship. Bukele's controversial state of emergency has led to the imprisonment of nearly 2% of El Salvador's population, many without due process, raising alarm among international observers. As Bukele dismisses his detractors and maintains widespread domestic support, questions linger about the long-term implications of his hardline approach for democracy in El Salvador. Critics argue that the president's consolidation of power and suppression of opposition voices signal a worrying trend, even as his tough-on-crime policies continue to resonate with many Salvadorans weary of gang violence. Al Jazeera's Lucia Newman reports from El Salvador. Subscribe to our channel: http://bit.ly/AJSubscribe Follow us on X: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera Check our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/ Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/ Download AJE Mobile App: https://aje.io/AJEMobile #ElSalvador #NayibBukele #HumanRightsViolations #ElSalvadorAuthoritarianism #ElSalvadorStateOfEmergency #ElSalvadorGangCrackdown #ElSalvadorDictator