El Salvador; Bukele Announces Anti-Corruption Offensive; Over 75 U.S. Companies Eye Investment in El Salvador; Rising Violence Against Women Journalists in El Salvador.

Friday, May 22, 2026. El Salvador In recent years, El Salvador has become one of the most discussed countries in Latin America, not only for its aggressive security policies and dramatic reduction in gang violence, but also for its broader attempt to redefine itself economically, politically, and internationally. What was once viewed primarily through the lens of instability and criminality is now increasingly examined as a case study in state control, public security strategy, investment attraction, and geopolitical positioning. Yet beneath the headlines lies a far more complex reality. El Salvador today presents both opportunities and questions for investors, corporations, regional operators, and security professionals alike. Rapid transformation often creates equally rapid shifts in risk landscapes, legal frameworks, governance structures, and public perception. Understanding the country therefore requires moving beyond narratives of either success or criticism and instead examining the operational realities on the ground. This week’s edition explores El Salvador from a strategic risk perspective, reviewing the country’s evolving security environment, political dynamics, economic direction, business climate, and the implications these changes may carry for organizations operating in or evaluating the region. As with many emerging environments in Latin America, the key is not simply identifying risk, but understanding how risk itself is changing. Brett Mikkelson Fundador, B.M. Investigations, Inc. – Private Investigations in Panama. TOP NEWS and TIDBITS: Bukele Announces Anti-Corruption Crackdown After Declaring Victory Over Gangs in El Salvador El Salvador’s President, Nayib Bukele, announced on Tuesday the launch of an anti-corruption campaign after declaring victory in his “war” against violent gangs, which has resulted in approximately 91,000 arrests. Since March 27, 2022, Bukele has enforced a state of emergency under which tens of thousands of people have been detained without judicial warrants, a measure that human rights organizations claim has led to serious human rights violations. “We decided, or rather had to face, what was basically an open war. I have always said that we won thanks to God,” the president stated during the inauguration of the Attorney General’s Office headquarters in Antiguo Cuscatlán, on the western outskirts of San Salvador. He acknowledged that teamwork among different state institutions was essential “for us to defeat them.” Bukele recalled that gangs previously acted as “the real government” and controlled “approximately 80% of the territory” of the Central American country. After defeating the gangs, he said, “another stage now begins: law and order (…) ensuring there is no corruption.” “There is theft, smuggling, tax evasion, corruption, fraud, and environmental contamination caused by individuals and companies, and we have not eradicated that yet,” he emphasized, adding that this would be the next step. The opposition has criticized the lack of transparency in government accountability and the restrictions preventing information about detainees from being disclosed, arguing that Bukele governs with near-absolute power. Several Latin American countries are seeking to replicate Bukele’s security policies despite criticism from human rights organizations, which argue that the state of emergency allows authorities to detain individuals without judicial warrants based on accusations of gang membership or collaboration. READ ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE Export Costs Rise, Warning Issued in El Salvador According to Coexport President Silvia Cuéllar, although the flow of Salvadoran exports has not been interrupted, trade has become more expensive. This is mainly due to the increase in freight costs on routes to Asian markets, which previously ranged between $1,300 and $2,000, but now are around $6,000, although she acknowledged that contracts are still being fulfilled. Cuéllar recalled that most Salvadoran exports, especially perishable goods, are shipped to the United States and Central America, where there has not been a “significant impact.” “We are more affected by the supplies we need to import through those routes than by exports themselves, because if I have the product, there is no problem,” the Coexport president stated during a forum organized with companies to analyze the impact of the Middle East crisis. For Cuéllar, businesses now have tools such as artificial intelligence to anticipate developments in the international market. At the same time, she recommended maintaining “constant monitoring,” short-term planning, and flexibility in contracts, given the possibility of shortages in raw materials. READ ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE El Salvador: Alarming Increase in Violence Against Women Journalists Independent journalism in El Salvador is facing a critical period. The Association of Journalists of El Salvador (APES) has released its 2025 Press Freedom Report, titled “A Year of Journalism Under Persecution and Exile.” The document outlines a landscape of economic suffocation, state surveillance, and criminalization that has forced dozens of professionals to leave the country or continue practicing journalism under precarious and hostile conditions. One of the report’s main findings highlights the harassment of women journalists, who accounted for 20.8% of all recorded attacks in the country, totaling 89 documented cases. Key findings include: • Cases of harassment against women journalists tripled. Unlike previous periods, attacks extended beyond the digital sphere and became direct and personal, with 68.5% occurring in physical spaces and 26.9% in virtual environments. • Increase in physical violence: five cases of direct physical aggression against female reporters were documented in 2025, a category in which no incidents had been reported in 2024. • Misogynistic and sexist hostility: multiple attacks included sexist, misogynistic, homophobic, biphobic, and transphobic comments and actions aimed at delegitimizing women journalists’ presence in public spaces. No attacks of this nature were reported against male journalists. • Profile of aggressors: the main perpetrators identified in attacks against women journalists were officers of the National Civil Police (PNC), social media users, public employees, and members of the military. State Harassment and Information Deserts The APES annual report, which documents a total of 426 attacks against journalists and media outlets, shows that the apparent slight statistical decrease compared to the previous year does not represent an improvement in democratic guarantees. On the contrary, it reflects a more serious phenomenon: the vacuum and silence created by the mass exile of more than 50 professionals in 2025 due to the latent threat of arbitrary arrests by the government. “The