The 47 -year -old activist and lawyer was arrested by the Police on Sunday, May 18 at night, by an order of the Attorney General of El Salvador, that accuses her of the crime of peculation When I worked a decade for the Electoral Court, According to a statement from that institution.
“The arrest warrant Administrative against Ruth Eleonora López Alfaro under the position of peculation ”, The Prosecutor’s Office said in X.
“Ruth López was Trust Advisor and Right Hand of Eugenio Chicas during his two periods in the Supreme Electoral Court, during his management as a magistrate and in his period as president of the TSE ”, added the Prosecutor’s Office In the same publication.
Read more: Nayib Bukele proposes a 30% tax on donations to the Oenegés in El Salvador
According to Salvadoran authorities, López allegedly collaborated in the subtraction of funds of the state coffers.
López directs the anti -corruption and justice unit of Chrysal And it is critical of the security policy of President Nayib Bukele.
Until now, Neither his family nor his legal team have managed to confirm his whereabouts Not even the detention center in which Cristosal reported in a statement.
“His arrest occurs in times of deep concern about the growing risk that human rights defenders face in El Salvador, and in a context of institutional weakening and repression “the Oenegé added.
You might interest you: US legislator
Chrysal attends families of arrested within the framework of the “war” against gangs launched by Bukele in 2022, and also to the families of Venezuelan migrants imprisoned for two months in a maximum security prison Salvadoran
The organization recently enabled an online application to obtain Information from the relatives of Venezuelans prisoners.
Based on the responses of their relatives, Chrysal concluded that 78% had emigrated in Search for better economic opportunities35% to flee violence and 9% for political persecution.
López was arrested two days after lawyers from Venezuelan migrants denounced that their clients are victims of physical and moral torture.
#Capture | This day, the administrative arrest warrant against Ruth Eleonora López Alfaro, for the crime of peculation, has become effective.
Ruth López was a trusted advisor and right hand of Eugenio Chicas during her two periods in the Supreme Electoral Court, during her … pic.twitter.com/0W83JMG3U
– Attorney General of the Republic El Salvador (@Fgr_SV) May 19, 2025
Also read: add 12 Salvadoran businessmen detained for breaking Bukele’s order on free transportation
Bukele it’s a key ally of US President Donald Trump in his policy against migrants.
Authoritarianism context
Recently they were arrested in El Salvador, during a demonstration of peasant families, environmental lawyer Alejandro Henríquez and the evangelical pastor José Pérez.
In February, human rights activist Fidel Zavala, whom the Prosecutor’s Office was arrested He accused of integrating illicit groups.
In addition, Cristosal denounced on April 28 that police officers entered their headquarters during a press conference and proceeded to record and photograph the facilities, as well as vehicles of the staff and the media present.
URGENT
International complaintWe denounce the arrest of our Chief of Anti -Corruption and Justice, Ruth López. #Alertadehumanos pic.twitter.com/shhtkjwcfz
– Chrystosal (@cristosal) May 19, 2025
The NGO then held, in a statement, that Police admission to their offices It is registered in the current context of authoritarianism and closing democratic spaces in El Salvador.
Likewise, last week, nine international organizations denounced that the Bukele government has adopted a authoritarian pattern against social discontent.
The organizations, including Amnesty International, also criticized a bill of “foreign agents” of Bukele, which includes a 30% tax on the donations that the Oenegés receive.