Speaking at a joint press conference, Bukele said El Salvador was willing to share its experience in confronting criminal gangs, allowing Chile to draw lessons suited to its own context. He framed his government’s security strategy as a practical response to escalating violence , arguing that decisive action had been central to restoring public order in his country.

Bukele also warned against what he described as the risks of inaction in the face of organised crime, questioning how human rights are interpreted in countries experiencing high levels of criminality. He suggested that allowing criminal groups to expand unchecked could have long-term consequences for state authority and public safety.

Kast, for his part, praised El Salvador’s prison system and described Bukele’s security policies as a source of inspiration, while stressing the need to adapt any measures to Chile’s legal and social framework. Earlier in the day, Kast visited the CECOT high-security prison to observe its operations, infrastructure and inmate supervision methods, reflecting security and crime control as central themes of his political agenda.

According to their testimonies, a US federal judge ruled on December 22 that the administration of President Donald Trump unlawfully ordered their deportation and subsequent detention at CECOT after branding them as terrorists. The ruling determined that the group had been denied the opportunity to challenge the accusations through a fair legal process.

Ysqueibel Penaloza, one of the former detainees, said that a US federal judge ruled on December 22, 2025, that the administration of President Donald Trump had denied due process to 252 Venezuelans deported to El Salvador and held at the Terrorism Confinement Centre (CECOT). He said the decision orders that the group be granted the opportunity for a fair hearing under US law and described the ruling as a reaffirmation that no government, regardless of its origin, is above international law, due process or respect for human rights .

The former detainees alleged that they were subjected to psychological and physical abuse during their confinement at CECOT, experiences they say have left lasting effects on their mental health. Several also reported difficulties reintegrating into society following their return to Venezuela.

The group has called on both the United States and El Salvador to comply fully with the court ruling, insisting that conditions must be guaranteed for them to participate in future legal proceedings without fear or risk to their safety.

In March, 252 Venezuelans deported from the United States were imprisoned in CECOT after being accused of links to the Tren de Aragua criminal gang, although 90 per cent reportedly had no criminal record. They were repatriated to Venezuela in July as part of a trilateral agreement, and have since publicly thanked President Nicolás Maduro for the government ’s role in facilitating their return.

The visit places Chaves among a limited group of international officials who have previously entered CECOT, including US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and former Argentine Security Minister Patricia Bullrich. The prison, widely associated with El Salvador’s crackdown on organised crime, has become a focal point for regional security discussions.

Chaves’ tour concluded a visit that began on Thursday and included meetings with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele. During the trip, both leaders signed the Shield of the Americas Alliance , an agreement designed to strengthen cooperation against organised crime and enhance national security efforts between the two countries.

CECOT is the largest prison in Latin America , built to house up to 40,000 inmates and currently holding around 15,000 people accused of links to the Mara Salvatrucha and Barrio 18 gangs. In August, Chaves announced plans to construct a 5,000-inmate prison in Costa Rica inspired by El Salvador’s model, a project scheduled for completion in 2026 but which has yet to begin construction.

Bukele shared the directive on X, alongside a memorandum from Education Minister Captain Karla Trigueros instructing the heads of all 5,100 public schools to enforce the ban. According to the memo, any linguistic forms linked to gender ideology will no longer be tolerated, including altered words like alumn@ or nosotrxs . The measure also applies to all educational materials, textbooks, and resources provided by the ministry.

The government justifies the move as a way to “promote proper language use” and prevent what it calls “ideological or globalist interference” that could affect students’ development. Bukele’s policy follows previous steps to remove gender perspectives from educational materials, despite earlier public support for LGBTI rights.

Teachers’ unions have criticised the changes, describing them as part of a “militarisation” of the school system. Students are already subject to strict dress codes, hair regulations, and mandatory classroom etiquette, such as greeting teachers upon entering.

Since taking office in 2019, Bukele has maintained high popularity for his aggressive anti-gang policies, though human rights groups continue to report abuses and high incarceration rates. The new language ban marks another controversial step in his increasingly centralised control over El Salvador’s institutions.

APES warned of an “imminent risk” of an information blackout in El Salvador, noting that between January and June alone, 43 journalists had left the country, many of them unwilling to return for fear of arbitrary detention.

The organisation had already announced the closure of its offices inside the country, describing conditions under the law as “stifling, arbitrary and unlawful.” CNN en Español sought comment from the Salvadoran government but received no response.

The law has accelerated the closure of long-standing NGOs. In September, the Foundation for the Development of Social Sciences (Fudecso) dissolved after more than three decades, citing the shrinking civic space. The Foundation for the Study and Application of Law (Fesfad) also shut down, saying the legislation created legal insecurity and made financial sustainability impossible.

Human rights group Cristosal suspended operations in July, denouncing government harassment after the arrest of its lawyer and activist Ruth López, accused of illicit enrichment — charges she denies.

International bodies have raised alarm. UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders Mary Lawlor said conditions for rights protection in El Salvador had “deteriorated,” while Amnesty International pointed to a “worrying increase” in harassment and criminalisation of journalists, activists and civil society groups.

Meanwhile, law makers from Bukele’s ruling Nuevas Ideas party insist the law is meant only to ensure transparency about foreign funding.

The National Civil Police announced that El Salvador has now completed 1000 days without recording a single homicide nationwide. The government presents this milestone as proof of the success of its security strategies, which have transformed the country’s image after decades of gang-related violence. Authorities highlight it as a sign of greater stability and public safety, although critics argue that the achievement comes at the cost of questions about civil liberties under the state of exception.

Honduras accuses El Salvador of maritime incursion

The Honduran Armed Forces accused El Salvador’s navy of entering its territorial waters in the Gulf of Fonseca, despite repeated radio warnings to withdraw. Honduras declared a state of “maximum alert,” citing violations of sovereignty and recalling past disputes over maritime boundaries, while also reinforcing its naval and aerial presence in the contested zone.

Podcast highlights El Salvador’s total abortion ban

A new investigation from Latino USA and El Faro English sheds light on the impact of El Salvador’s absolute abortion ban. Nearly 200 women have been imprisoned in the past 26 years after obstetric emergencies, with cases like Teodora Vásquez—sentenced to 30 years—illustrating the human toll of the law . The report underscores how the legislation criminalises miscarriages and stillbirths, leaving women vulnerable to long prison sentences and limited medical protection.

Opposition questions rising public debt

Opposition lawmaker Claudia Ortiz criticised the government’s reliance on loans, noting that public debt has already surpassed $33 billion. She pointed out that the recent approval of $250 million from the World Bank , allocated under “general obligations,” raised concerns over transparency and long-term economic stability. Ortiz warned that repeated borrowing without clear allocation risks deepening fiscal dependence and undermining the government’s claim that the 2025 national budget would be fully financed without new debt.

In the Pacific, India is making a strategic move in Fiji.

India is establishing a new defence wing at its High Commission in Suva. That comes with a defence attaché, maritime security support, equipment, training, and even a cybersecurity training cell.

It was announced during Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka’s visit to New Delhi. Both he and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised their shared commitment to a secure Indo-Pacific.

The move isn’t just about Fiji’s security. It’s about global politics. India is stepping up in the Pacific at a time when China has been building influence in the region. By helping Fiji secure its Exclusive Economic Zone, India positions itself as a partner of choice and signals its presence in the wider Indo-Pacific security architecture.

Respect in school

Now to Central America, where El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele is back in the headlines. This time it’s about schools. A new regulation, called the “Promotion of School Courtesy,” will take effect on September 1. It requires students to use polite phrases like good morning, please, and thank you.

If they don’t, they could face penalties ranging from warnings to suspension of privileges, or in extreme cases, even being held back a grade. Though there’s also a redemption system to regain points through positive actions.

It might sound like a small cultural policy, but it speaks volumes. Bukele is pushing a vision of social order that complements his tough security agenda. He’s saying: discipline isn’t just about gangs on the streets, it’s about behaviour in classrooms too.

And it is happening while his approval ratings are sky-high. Bukele has just been ranked the most popular leader in the world, 91% approval, higher than Putin, Modi, even Trump.

His popularity is directly linked to those hardline security measures—like the mega-prison known as CECOT, but also social measures like this, which resonate with parents and teachers. The bigger question is: at what point does such overwhelming support blur the lines between democracy and authoritarianism?

Military and development

Finally, to Southeast Asia where Indonesia is planning a massive expansion of its military’s role in development.

The government wants to establish 500 territorial development battalions by 2029, with 100 already in place. These aren’t just combat units, they’ll help implement government programmes, from economic downstreaming to national self-sufficiency projects.

And they have full budget backing from the Ministry of Finance, so this isn’t just a proposal.

The move reflects how Indonesia views its military not only as a defence force but also as a tool for state-building. But it’s a double-edged sword. On one hand, it can accelerate development in remote areas; on the other, it risks entrenching military influence in civilian governance.

Morocco's green bridge

Again this week we’ve been offered some insights from Eigenrac , the security and intelligence consultancy, this time relating to Morocco.

Less than 15 kilometers off mainland Europe, Morocco is the only African country which has a land border with the European Union, thanks to the two Spanish enclaves on the coast. These facts make it an ideal bridge between the continents. And when this is coupled with Morocco’s other geographical strengths, that would allow it to become a renewable energy superpower, there’s definitely a partnership to be made.

With plenty of sun for solar, mountains for hydroelectric and empty land for wind turbines, Morocco could fill the holes which are emerging in the EU’s net zero plans as a result of domestic resistance. It also has the potential to produce significant amounts of green hydrogen and even host some of the data centres which will be needed to power Europe’s digital transformation.

However, there are some risks to this vision.

Morocco has been a largely stable country in a region that is anything but. The risks are primarily around its government failing to maintain the confidence of its citizens. Climate change is a factor here, especially if clean energy or thirsty data centres start to compete with farmland for water. Inflation and unemployment have the potential to disrupt the economy if external factors hit the standard of living of ordinary people. And if wealth from these new investments are concentrated in a few urban centres that may also provoke unrest.

Then there’s the risk that bets in green hydrogen may not pay off with an uncertain demand for the fuel. And finally, risks that complicated regulatory processes will deter foreign investors

So it’s far from a done deal, but on the other hand, many African countries will be looking enviously at the position Morocco has got itself into through forward thinking and relationship building. Signs that the green and digital transitions may not leave Africa behind.

Divided by religion?

Let’s talk about religion in Africa. It’s a big subject and its importance runs deeply. The map shows the biggest religion in each nation. And its a very stark division showing states which are dominated by Islam in the north and states dominated by Christianity in the south. And there is a belt between the two where both religions are common.

There are also many other religions practiced in Africa, primarily traditional religions often described as animist. But the map recalls a point made in an essay by Ethiopian academic Seifudein Adem, who has written for Global South World this week about how Africa can improve its political systems. He says that the import of Christianity into Africa helped link western values with both modernisation and moral rectitude -in other words, good things tended to be associated with western practices.

The contrast he makes is with Japan where traditional religions were not replaced by an imported religion which meant modernisation could happen without having to adopt a foreign culture. He also suggests that the polytheism practiced in Japan meant that if one god stood in the way of adopting a new practice, a different god’s guidance could simply be sought instead. That doesn’t work with the monotheistic religions of Islam and Christianity and Adem lists this among a number of other reasons for holding back Africa’s ability to pick and choose different aspects of western practices to build its own modernisation.

Who's backing Ukraine?

Our final story this week is our World Visualized graphic which shows the amounts of aid given to Ukraine by its allies since 2022. Now the top donor in dollar terms is the USA at $126 billion, although Donald Trump has signed deals which he says will allow his country to claw back some of this spending. The European Union, as an entity has given only a little more than half that at $70 billion, although if you were to add up all the EU countries as a bloc the total would exceed America’s.

Japan, at $15 billion, is only a little behind the UK’s $20 billion despite being on the other side of the world. And Canada has also topped every EU nation aside from Germany. Despite Emmanuel Macron’s very vocal support for Kyiv, in financial terms his country has offered less than Denmark and Netherlands, according to these figures from the Kiel Institute. And what’s clear from that list is that this really is a battle of the Global North, which is not to say its consequences are not acutely felt in the Global South.

World Reframed is produced in London by Global South World, part of the Impactum Group. Its editors are Duncan Hooper and Ismail Akwei.

The U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, has sharply criticised the release of Salvadoran immigrant Kilmar Ábrego García from a Tennessee prison on Friday, August 22. Ábrego, accused by U.S. prosecutors of human trafficking, was freed while his trial continues. Noem, writing on X, accused the judge of showing “total contempt for the security of the American people” and vowed that the Trump Administration would keep pressing for his removal. Officials have alleged links to gangs, though these have not been proven in court.

Bukele defends school courtesy regulation amid criticism

El Salvador President Nayib Bukele has defended the new “Regulation for the Promotion of School Courtesy,” which takes effect on September 1. The policy, introduced by Education Minister Karla Trigueros, sets out demerits for students who fail to use basic phrases like “Good morning,” “Please,” and “Thank you.” Penalties range from verbal warnings to the suspension of privileges or, in extreme cases, non-promotion. Redemption measures will allow students to regain points through positive actions. Responding to criticism, Bukele said detractors could “return to the indifference of before, like when they did not care what happened here when they killed 30 Salvadorans daily.”

Bukele tops global popularity rankings

President Bukele has been named the most popular leader in the world , with 91% citizen approval, according to surveys from Morning Consult, WCIOM, and Gallup. He surpassed Vladimir Putin (79%), Narendra Modi (72%), and Donald Trump (45%). Bukele’s enduring popularity is attributed to tough security policies such as the #PlanControlTerritorial and the mega-prison #CECOT, alongside social measures that resonate with parents and teachers.

El Salvador ranked among fastest-growing tourism destinations

The Telegraph Travel has highlighted El Salvador’s emergence as a leading tourism destination, based on UN Tourism data. The country ranked third globally in growth between 2019 and 2024, behind only Qatar and Albania. Once the world’s most violent country with a homicide rate of 106.3 per 100,000 in 2015, El Salvador now records 1.9 per 100,000. Safer streets have driven a record 3.2 million visitors in 2024, including 1.2 million Americans. The UN Tourism barometer ranks El Salvador second worldwide and first in the Western Hemisphere among the best-performing destinations of 2024.

Road safety concerns as motorcyclists, pedestrians dominate fatalities

Data from the National Road Safety Observatory shows 758 deaths in traffic accidents between January 1 and August 22, 2025 — down from 840 in the same period of 2024. However, injuries increased to 8,265.  80% of fatalities were motorcyclists (303 deaths) and pedestrians (302 deaths). Officials reported 13,611 accidents, up 9% from last year, with main causes including distracted driving (261 deaths), speeding (156 deaths), and lane invasion (104 deaths).

Air India to cut international flights on widebody aircraft by 15%

Air India said on June 18 that it will cut international operations on its widebody aircraft by 15% for the next few weeks, citing ongoing safety inspections and operational disruptions. Read more here .

Could a single phone call collapse Thailand's government?

Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra apologised Thursday, June 19, for a leaked phone call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen that has provoked widespread anger and put her government on the brink of collapse. Read more here .

Indonesian cities plan to introduce 'military-style' boot camps to reform misbehaving students

Some cities in Indonesia are planning to send troubled students and young people to military barracks for training, as part of efforts to improve discipline and behaviour. Read more here .

Africa

Côte d'Ivoire just got $15m to save forests - Here’s what that means

Côte d'Ivoire will channel a new $15 million payment from the World Bank into forest conservation efforts and community development around Taï National Park, under the Emission Reduction Payment Project (PRE). Read more here .

Why Sudan wants UN envoy dismissed

More than 100 Sudanese political and civic leaders are demanding the removal of UN envoy Ramtane Lamamra, accusing him of bias toward the military and failing to lead an effective peace process in Sudan. Read more here .

‘No bra, no entry’ - viral exam hall video sparks outrage in Nigeria

A Nigerian university is facing widespread condemnation after a viral video revealed female students being physically checked to ensure they were wearing bras before entering an exam hall. Read more here .

Americas

Why Haiti is revisiting the murder of its ex-president

Nearly four years after the assassination of former President Jovenel Moïse, Haiti is relaunching stalled investigations into the killing amid a deepening security crisis and a crumbling judiciary. Read more here .

From peace negotiator to prisoner: Salvadoran artist in exile fights for his father's freedom

Atilio Montalvo Valiente, who lives in El Salvador, has been chasing justice for His sick father, a hero of El Salvador’s peace process, who was kidnapped and imprisoned by the government when he was just a little over 2 years old. Read more here .

Guyana becomes the world’s only fully food self-sufficient country in 2025

Guyana has emerged as the only country in the world that can fully feed itself without relying on food imports, according to a comprehensive 2025 study published in the journal Nature Food. Read more here .

When Valiente was just over two years old, in January 1992, the civil war in his native El Salvador came to an end. He knows this not only because he studied it, as every Salvadoran of his generation has, but because his father, Atilio Montalvo Cordero, was part of the negotiating team. The latter served as a commander of the Fuerzas Populares de Liberación (Popular Liberation Forces, FPL), one of the five guerrilla organisations that signed the accords that ended the armed conflict.

The Peace Agreement that Montalvo Cordero helped seek not only to silence the guns but also to profoundly reform the Salvadoran system, so that ideological and political differences could be resolved through peaceful means. It also sought to depoliticise the security forces and put an end to decades of political persecution and exile for those who dissented. In short, Atilio Montalvo Valiente grew up in a country at peace, with democratic aspirations, one that his father helped build.

Three decades later, that optimism has faded. In the early hours of May 31, 2024, National Civilian Police (PNC) agents raided the private residence of the former guerrilla commander, who, hours later, was accused of allegedly planning terrorist acts in the context of President Nayib Bukele’s second inauguration, which took place on June 1. In February 2024, Nayib Bukele was re-elected in a controversial vote widely criticised as unconstitutional, since El Salvador’s Constitution prohibits consecutive presidential terms. His candidacy was enabled in 2021 by a widely criticised ruling from the Constitutional Court.

From the beginning, Atilio, Jr. denounced irregularities in his father’s process, calling it an arbitrary arrest. On social media and in the press, he detailed his father’s complex medical condition–diabetes, kidney failure, and ischemic heart disease—and reported that he was being denied access to both his lawyer and his family. A month after the arrest, he was forced into exile.

Speaking from Mexico City, where he now lives with refugee status granted by the Mexican Commission for Refugee Assistance (COMAR), Atilio Montalvo Valiente spoke to Global South World about his father’s arrest, how it reflects El Salvador’s democratic backslide, the moment he fled, and how his music has become a vehicle for processing and denouncing what he sees as an injustice and “the ultimate act of cruelty”.

“See you on the other side”

The last time Atilio saw his father, he wasn’t authorised to do so. In late June 2024, nearly a month after the 72-year-old former guerrilla commander had been taken into state custody, he was transferred to a hospital run by the Salvadoran Social Security Institute in the capital, San Salvador, to receive treatment for his various health conditions.

Up to that point, locating his father had proved nearly impossible. He explained that he had reached out to courthouses, the prosecutor’s office, hospitals, and the General Directorate of Penitentiaries, but received no information. So when he learned that his father had been taken to a hospital for a medical check-up, he went there with a clear objective: to speak with him directly, something authorities had not previously permitted.

“When I got to the hospital, I told the guard at the door, ‘Look, my cousin is in there and she asked me to bring her a sweater.’ A total lie. But they let me in, and I slipped into the Social Security hospital,” he told GSW. After deceiving a security guard, walking past long lines of people waiting to be seen, and avoiding police officers, he managed to see his father, whom he found “reduced, gaunt, skinny, unwell.”

Montalvo Valiente knows it may have been the last time he ever saw his father. That’s why, he says, in that hospital room, he hugged him tightly and told him: “I love you. I’m proud of you. See you on the other side.” 

What that “other side” meant wasn’t clear, even to him: “It just came out of me,” he said. “But now I interpret it as ‘see you when we’re both with God or with the devil, wherever we end up.’ Or maybe it means ‘see you when you get out.’ Maybe it means see you in Mexico. It could mean so many things.”

As they embraced and cried together, he recalled, a police officer approached, asked for his ID, and reminded him he wasn’t allowed to be there and that the former commander wasn’t permitted visitors. According to his account, moments later, heavily armed officers awaited him at the hospital entrance and threatened to arrest him, too. That is when his father’s wife passed along a message whose source remains unknown: “You have to leave. Now.”

"Presumption of innocence no longer exists"

It was on May 30, 2024, at 10:19 pm that the official account of El Salvador’s National Civilian Police (PNC) announced the news on X: “Tonight we have arrested seven leaders of war veterans for planning explosive attacks at various points across the country for June 1st. They were part of the so-called “Salvadoran Insurrection Brigade, and their targets included gas stations, supermarkets, and public institutions.”

The post was accompanied by photos of explosives and an audio recording of a man, allegedly a war veteran, referencing the materials. Authorities have never identified the voice in the recording or offered further evidence to back their claims.

Atilio Montalvo Cordero’s name was not included in that initial message. However, just hours after the PNC’s tweet, he was arrested. By the next day, state-controlled media had linked him to the alleged plot, and government officials were already calling him a terrorist.

Global South World reached out to the National Civilian Police for comment on the alleged irregularities surrounding the arrest, but received no response by the time of publication. The presidential press secretary, who is responsible for coordinating official statements, was also contacted via Signal. Although the messages were marked as read, no reply was provided. In June 2024, a judge placed the case under seal, restricting access to further information about the charges and the alleged evidence against Montalvo Cordero.

On June 10, 2025, prosecutors were granted a six-month extension for the investigation phase in the case against Montalvo Cordero and the other former combatants accused of acts of terrorism. As a result, this stage will now conclude on December 14, 2025, and the defendants must remain in detention.

According to his son, Atilio Montalvo Valiente, the case is a fabrication by President Nayib Bukele’s administration, lacking credible evidence and built on a media narrative that has not been substantiated in court. “When [Bukele] took office for his second term, he made up a case accusing supposed opposition leaders of plotting attacks on the day of his inauguration. Among those alleged ‘opposition leaders,’ whom he calls terrorists without any proof, is my father,” he told Global South World.

At the time of his arrest, the former guerrilla commander was 72 years old and in fragile health. His son recalled that just a month earlier, Montalvo Cordero had suffered a heart attack that nearly killed him. “He has all the health issues you'd expect in someone his age: diabetes, poor circulation, and on top of that, he survived a war. He is physically worn down.”

The other men arrested in connection with the case are from the same generation, men in their sixties and seventies who once took up arms against a military dictatorship and later helped usher in a peace process. Montalvo Valiente argues: “They’re not a real threat, they’re old men, limping or with walking sticks, protesting in the streets.”

Still, he notes that in El Salvador, the presumption of innocence no longer exists, especially since March 2022, when Bukele’s legislature declared a state of exception that suspended constitutional protections for all citizens. Although initially intended to fight gangs like MS-13 and Barrio 18, the decree has also affected those facing unrelated charges.

In December 2024, a report by Amnesty International stated that the state of emergency enabled “a policy of cruel and degrading treatment, including torture, inside correctional facilities.”

According to Montalvo Valiente, in the early hours of May 31, authorities didn’t even inform his father that he was being arrested. “They took him from his house under the pretence that he needed to answer questions about a case involving war veterans. At no point did they tell him he was being detained,” he said.” He also pointed out that his father was transported in a private vehicle, not a police patrol car.

From that moment on, the family was denied all contact. He has had very limited access to his lawyer, and repeated requests to substitute prison with less severe measures due to his medical condition have been denied. In June 2024, two weeks after the arrest, a special organised crime court placed the entire case under seal, an action the son believes is meant to silence the families of those detained.

“You should have the right to communicate with your loved ones, and judges should be impartial, but none of that exists,” Montalvo Valiente said. “On top of that, the lawyer has been harassed, and so has our family. The entire process is tainted. My father’s presumption of innocence has been ignored. They’re treating him like he’s Osama bin Laden, but he’s just a retired man.”

The same day, father and son got to reunite, and shortly before Montalvo Valiente fled the country, thanks to public pressure from the family on social media and in the press, Montalvo Cordero was transferred to La Occidental, a penitentiary for elderly detainees. The other men arrested in the same case remain in regular prison facilities.

“What’s being done to my dad feels like the ultimate cruelty. I’d even go as far as to say it’s an unnecessary cruelty, because he’s an old man who’s already nearing the end,” Montalvo Valiente says, and adds: “This is all about the international spotlight Bukele wants. He wants to be the face of the ‘biggest jail in the Americas.’”

Resisting from Mexico

“Zero out of ten. Zero stars. I don’t recommend this exile process,” joked Montalvo Valiente, who now lives in Mexico City with refugee status granted by the Mexican Commission for Refugee Assistance (COMAR) in 2024.

Following his father’s arrest, as he and other relatives publicly denounced what they described as due process violations, he began to notice they were being followed, photographed, and threatened on social media.

“A former guerrilla once told me there are two kinds of surveillance: one where you’ll never notice it, and another where they want you to know you’re being watched. We got the second kind. They wanted us to know they were watching our whole family closely. Imagine the level of intimidation and paranoia that creates.”

After moving between various safe houses and facing continued harassment, Montalvo Valiente had to make a difficult decision: stay and risk arrest himself, or leave the country. His own family was divided, as some urged him to keep fighting publicly for his father’s release, while others insisted he flee to avoid imprisonment.

That month, he recalls, was harrowing. “It was the longest month of my life. I couldn’t even eat, as I felt guilty knowing my dad was in jail without food. When it rained, I cried, knowing he was freezing in a two-by-two meter cell with fifteen other people. I knew he didn’t even have a bed. He was sleeping on the floor. I knew he had a wound that was getting more infected by the day.”

It was on the night when he finally managed to see his father, after receiving the fateful message from his stepmother, that he realised the decision he needed to make.

“In that moment, I understood,” he said. “I ran to the house where I was staying and packed whatever I could in 30 or 40 minutes. I’ve never packed that fast. And that was it, I left. The next day, I was in Mexico.”

Today, he faces the same paradox of exile: the relief of walking freely and without fear, and the anguish of being far from home, unable to continue fighting until his father is free.

Music as refuge

In conversation with Global South World, Atilio Montalvo Valiente shared that music has always been his sanctuary, an escape from a difficult childhood marked by the lingering wounds of civil war. “In my family, there are people who had bombs planted in their homes, people who were tortured, people who lived through horrific things. And even though we were a joyful, happy family on the surface, behind closed doors, there was a lot of pain,” he said.

That pain is one reason he had never written openly about politics, until his father’s arrest forced him to flee the country where he was raised with the post-war generation’s optimism for peace and democratic consolidation.

In late November 2024, Montalvo Valiente released his first solo song, Ídolo ( Idol ). In it, he critiques a common tradeoff demanded by certain political leaders: the illusion of safety in exchange for unquestioning loyalty and silence.

When asked whether the track is a direct jab at President Nayib Bukele, he was quick to broaden the scope. “It could be Bukele, it could be [Donald] Trump, it could be [Javier] Milei or [Nicolás] Maduro. I try to speak of mythological creatures, of archetypes in history that we humans keep repeating.”

Still, it is the Salvadoran government that ultimately fuels both his activism and his exile. In just three decades, El Salvador has shifted from a democratic promise to what The Economist Democracy Index now classifies as a hybrid regime , where formal democratic elements coexist with intensifying authoritarian practices.

“Salvadorans are revolutionaries in everything, even in fascism,” he said. “El Salvador has become a social experiment for a lot of people who aren’t even Salvadoran: famous crypto bros, incels, toxic masculinities who said, ‘This is our safe space to be crypto bros, incels, or toxic in peace.’ It’s such a small, particular territory that you can build a closed environment to test things like a punitive, prison-like society.”

In January 2025, he released his second solo song, Aquí , alongside a video with images of his dad speaking about the transition from war to peace, from authoritarianism to democracy, from barbarism to civilisation.

With this glimmer of optimism in mind, and despite the injustices he says his family is experiencing, Montalvo Valiente still clings to hope. 

“I’ll tell you something my grandmother once said: things last longer than they seem. She was born in 1931. As a child, she lived through World War II, then through El Salvador’s military dictatorship, exile, democracy, and now this. She’s seen how the pendulum swings. And that’s how I see it too: ‘At some point, I can hope for justice.’ I don’t know if it’ll happen, I can’t know that, but I’ll spend my whole life fighting for it.”

The case of Ábrego García has galvanized Democratic law makers, highlighting concerns regarding the Trump administration’s approach to immigration enforcement and disregard for judicial rulings. A 2019 immigration judge had ruled that Ábrego García should not be deported due to potential retaliation he could face in El Salvador. Senator Booker has called on Congress to support the rule of law, stating that there is no debate over the need for the administration to act on this court order.

In response, officials from the Trump administration have claimed that Democrats prioritize undocumented immigrants over US citizens. Meanwhile, Republican Congressman Riley Moore visited the facility where Ábrego García is being held, showcasing a dissonance between party perspectives on immigration enforcement. Additional Democratic representatives, such as Adriano Espaillat and Delia Ramirez, have expressed interest in visiting El Salvador and its detention facilities to further investigate the matter.

Senator Booker, known for his opposition to Trump’s policies , is speculated to be considering a future presidential run. He recently delivered an extensive speech in the Senate criticizing Trump’s presidency, characterizing it as a significant threat to democracy and the Constitution.

The troops were welcomed at the airport by high-ranking officials, including Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council leader Leslie Voltaire and Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé.

Godfrey Otunge, who commands the Kenyan troops in the MSS, also welcomed the new arrivals. “We don’t take it for granted. We have a prime minister who is also our friend,” he was quoted as saying .

As part of the United Nations- and United States-backed effort to help Haiti’s police restore order, the troops will work with the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission.

Normil Rameau, the acting head of Haiti’s National Police, said the support of the people is crucial.

“A marriage of the police with the people of Haiti remains the most effective way to restore security and lasting peace,” he was quoted as saying .

Haiti has struggled with rising gang violence since President Jovenel Moïse was killed in 2021. The country also faces natural disasters and a hunger crisis.

The UN approved the MSS mission in 2023 after Haiti repeatedly asked for international help. The mission includes police officers from Kenya, but their deployment faced delays. When they arrived last year, many did not get paid for months.

Despite these efforts, gang violence continues in the country. In November, flights to Haiti were grounded after bullets hit planes flying over Port-au-Prince and in October, gangs attacked US Embassy vehicles, leading to the evacuation of 20 embassy staff.

Doctors also said the fetus was diagnosed as anencephalic, meaning it could not survive.

However, following El Salvador's strict abortion ban which prevented her from terminating the pregnancy, Beatriz carried the pregnancy to term, and the baby died five hours after being born via cesarean section.

The court said the Salvadoran government failed to protect Beatriz’s health and rights.

It described the case as "obstetric violence", highlighting how the country allowed legal and bureaucratic circumstances to delay her medical care.

The court has ordered the government to pay compensation and establish clearer guidelines for handling similar cases in the future. However, the government says it will review the ruling and its implications.

Abortion has been banned in El Salvador since 1998, with severe penalties for those who break the law.

Meanwhile, women's rights groups in the country have hailed the court’s decision as a victory.

Lawyer Angelica Rivas said, "Justice has triumphed. This is a historic day for reproductive rights."

Standing alongside President Chaves in Costa Rica’s capital, Bukele addressed the issue of organised crime and the financial challenges of countering it. "While the government gives you $3,000, the criminal gives you $5,000 — there is no way a government can compete with the incentives of crime," he is quoted by the AFP. Bukele argued that crime is a well-funded enterprise that often outpaces government efforts in vulnerable areas.

Bukele emphasised the role of the state in controlling violence, advocating for government intervention to maintain peace. "No one but the state can be violent, and then only to intervene and keep the peace, nothing more," he explained. "The state's violence should not be used to violate human rights, but to guarantee the human rights of the people whose human rights are never defended."

Bukele’s administration declared a state of emergency in March 2022 following a surge in murders, suspending certain constitutional rights and allowing police to arrest suspects without warrants. The emergency powers have been renewed repeatedly, with supporters crediting the approach for reducing crime and critics arguing it enables human rights abuses. Human rights groups have condemned the sweeping arrests, with reports of innocent individuals caught up in what Bukele terms a "war" on gangs.

On October 28, 2024, El Salvador's government deployed an extensive force of over 2,000 soldiers and 500 police officers to the San Marcos neighbourhood to eradicate the remaining gang presence. President Nayib Bukele announced the establishment of a security fence designed to capture gang members hiding in the area. This operation is a continuation of previous efforts to dismantle the Barrio 18 gang, which were launched in response to a significant spike in violence observed in March 2022. Although these measures have resulted in lower homicide rates and numerous arrests, they have attracted considerable criticism from human rights organisations regarding potential violations and arbitrary detentions. Despite proclaiming victory over gangs, Bukele has extended the state of emergency for more than two years, asserting that further efforts are crucial.

El Salvador sanctions military deployment to Haiti

El Salvador's government sanctioned the deployment of military personnel to Haiti to aid in medical evacuation operations within the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support Mission. This decision received overwhelming support, with 57 out of 60 congressional votes in favour, allowing the Salvadoran Armed Forces to operate under the United Nations' "blue helmet" framework. This deployment is the result of a collaborative agreement between El Salvador and Haiti facilitated by the Organization of American States, aimed at ensuring the legal rights of all parties involved. The Salvadoran forces will bring valuable experience from previous UN missions to this critical operation.

China-El Salvador holds inaugural joint trade and economic committee meeting

China and El Salvador convened their inaugural joint trade and economic committee meeting in San Salvador, with a focus on fostering negotiations for a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA). China's Vice Minister of Commerce, Wang Shouwen, reaffirmed China’s commitment to swiftly progressing FTA discussions, as well as encouraging cooperation in infrastructure and investment sectors. El Salvador's Economy Minister, María Luisa Hayem, highlighted the importance of bolstering economic ties, improving market access for Salvadoran agricultural products, and attracting Chinese investment across diverse industries. The committee aims to strengthen practical collaboration, leveraging successful FTAs established by neighbouring countries such as Honduras and Nicaragua. The ongoing FTA negotiations, which commenced in April, are making strides towards concrete areas of collaboration and frameworks.

El Salvador aims at first nuclear facility after passing new energy law

El Salvador's Legislative Assembly passed a "Nuclear Energy Law" aimed at regulating the construction and operational management of nuclear facilities. This law, primarily supported by President Nayib Bukele's party, is designed to oversee the lifecycle of nuclear fuel for peaceful energy use. However, opposition members have raised concerns regarding the potential safety and environmental risks associated with nuclear energy. The government aims to have its inaugural research nuclear reactor operational within seven years, with plans to train approximately 400 individuals to work in this sector. While currently, 83% of El Salvador’s electricity is sourced from renewable energy, this new law indicates a strategic shift towards diversifying the national energy portfolio to include nuclear power.

El Salvador receives agricultural support from Central American bank

The Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) has approved a substantial grant of $725,000 earmarked for enhancing the agricultural product supply chain within El Salvador. This funding initiative , orchestrated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, will facilitate the acquisition of around 30 vehicles to improve the transport of products from farms to markets, thereby enhancing operational efficiency and minimising post-harvest losses. This project aims to provide Salvadoran families with improved access to fresh, high-quality agricultural produce at reasonable prices.

According to him, the nuclear reactor will be the first adopted by the country.

“We want to have the first research reactor by 2030, for which we are seeking to train 400 experts over a seven-year period,” Alvarez was quoted .

The government has also indicated its commitment to training dozens of specialists in the field of nuclear energy.

The Directorate signed a cooperation agreement with US-based Thorium Energy Alliance in March 2023, to explore the generation of nuclear energy with thorium fuel.

International organizations estimate that one ton of thorium can produce as much energy as 200 tons of uranium, or 3,500,000 tons of coal.

Last March, Alvarez and Vice Foreign Minister Adriana Mira presented the legal instruments to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for the generation of nuclear energy.

Government as part of its nuclear energy programme also signed a memorandum of understanding with Argentina's National Atomic Energy Commission earlier this month.

This was one of several bilateral agreements coinciding with the visit to Argentina by El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele including the promotion of the exchange of information, scientific and technical visits, expert missions and training opportunities.

El Salvador President, President Nayib Bukele, hopes to improve the economic and scientific development of his country through nuclear energy.

Many Salvadorans have backed the government’s tough measures, hoping for an end to the violence that has plagued the country for years. Gangs in El Salvador have long controlled territories, engaged in extortion, and committed violent crimes, leaving entire communities under their influence.

However, reports from human rights organisations indicate that the crackdown has resulted in overcrowded and unsanitary prison conditions, with many detainees denied basic amenities. Critics argue that the campaign has led to arbitrary arrests, with innocent individuals swept up in the government's "war" against gangsters.

One such case is that of Yessica Mercedes, a 43-year-old seamstress whose family has been deeply affected by both gang violence and the government’s response.

Mercedes shared her story, revealing that one of her brothers was killed by gang members, while another was jailed during the government’s crackdown.

“I have a brother who died. I have funeral receipts that say he died because of the same criminal groups that lived there. He lost his life after being beaten until he was in a coma,” Mercedes told AFP.

She stressed that neither of her brothers was involved with gangs, saying her family had been caught between gang violence and the government’s aggressive anti-gang campaign. “I am not defending, or against, the government. What I want is for them to hand over my innocent brother. That's what I want: to be able to take care of him, give him his medication, have him in my home, take care of him myself. I don't want to take him out of prison in a coffin,” she added.

Antonio Zavala, a businessman who served a 13-month prison sentence for "aggravated fraud," echoed concerns about prison conditions. He disclosed to AFP, “Extortion no longer comes from the gangs (‘pandillas’), but from the government."

The government has detained over 85,000 adults and more than 3,000 minors aged 12 to 17 in its effort to combat gang violence. However, human rights groups estimate that a significant portion of those detained may be innocent. “Based on the numbers, we estimate that at least 30% of those on trial are innocent,” said Ingrid Escobar, director of Salvadoran NGO Socorro Juridico Humanitario.

In a 2023 BBC report , El Salvador's vice-president Felix Ulloa acknowledged that thousands of those arrested were likely not involved in gang-related crimes. Despite this, he defended the security measures, arguing that the crackdown has brought a level of peace that the country has not seen in years. "It's not perfect, but it's good. We've done something really good here," Ulloa told BBC.

As part of the festival, palm-sized fireballs are made from rags drenched in gasoline. These fireballs are thrown by two teams made up of locals in what is termed a ‘battle’.

Locals who participate in the battle paint their faces and wear masks for the festival which is celebrated at the end of August each year.

“We play the game of fireballs here, it is a tradition in which we remember the eruption of the volcano. Our ancestors 102 years ago began to remember that eruption in which they had to flee from Nixapa where the settlements prior to Nejapa were, and we remember the life of these people, we remember what they lived, We remember life and what it is to move forward in the face of adversity. That's the main way we celebrate,” a local participant said.

Bukele's campaign , which he promotes under the slogan "The ‘presi’ invites you for a coffee," aims to boost local businesses by attracting more customers. The president's coffee comes from his farm, and he has committed to selecting one business each day to receive the donation.

This initiative was highlighted when a newly opened restaurant in downtown San Salvador, featuring a mural of Bukele, Franco's Pupusa, saw a significant increase in customer traffic after offering free coffee and pupusas, a traditional Salvadoran dish.

While the president's motivations remain a topic of debate, with some critics labelling the move as populist, others see it as a clever marketing strategy. Sociologist René Martínez noted that Bukele's background as a publicist might be influencing his approach, suggesting that giving people a sample of his coffee is an effective way to promote both his product and local businesses.

This initiative is part of Bukele's broader efforts to tackle economic challenges in El Salvador. Following his successful campaign against gang violence, Bukele has now set his sights on addressing the "mafias" that keep food prices high. By promoting local businesses and providing tangible support, he aims to create a more vibrant and self-sustaining local economy.

According to Diario El Mundo , El Salvador's Civil Protection Direction reported 49 deaths and 337 injuries in traffic accidents from Saturday, December 23, to Sunday, December 31, 2023. Luis Amaya, the Director of Civil Protection, announced on Monday that the number of injuries from traffic accidents increased from 252 in 2022 to 337 in the same period of 2023, representing a 33% rise. Additionally, the number of individuals arrested for reckless driving (or driving under the influence of alcohol or substances) doubled from 68 in 2022 to 135 by the end of 2023.

Salvadorans abroad can start casting votes on January 6th

Diario El Mundo reports that on January 6th, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) and the Spanish company Indra will launch an electronic remote voting system, allowing the Salvadoran diaspora to start voting. In contrast, people in El Salvador will go to the polls on February 4th. Eligible voters abroad can cast their ballots for the President, Vice President, and 60 members of the Legislative Assembly. However, they will not be able to vote in the municipal or the Central American Parliament (Parlacen) elections. The voting process will begin at 7:00 AM local time in El Salvador, lasting for 30 days starting on January 6, 2024, until the national elections on February 4, 2024. Salvadorans abroad have been able to vote in presidential elections since 2014. However, a new Voting Abroad Law was approved in 2022, extending the right to vote abroad to legislative elections. 

El Salvador’s national football team has a new head coach

David Dóniga Lara is the new head coach of El Salvador’s national football team, as reported by El Gráfico . The 42-year-old coach, who previously trained Panamanian teams, takes charge of “La Selecta,” as locals call their national team, less than 19 days before the friendly match against Inter Miami, Lionel Messi’s squad. Dóniga Lara will be the third head coach in three months, and his naming comes at a time when there are tensions between the national football federation (Fesfut) and the National Institute for Sports, a government entity that has tried to extend its grip over national football. Two years ago, FIFA had to intervene before El Salvador was expelled from international competitions due to government interference. FIFA then named a temporary directorate at Fesfut, but its popularity remains low due to poor results. 

Thousands of inmates have died since 2013

In the past decade, 1,383 inmates have died under custody of the state, La Prensa Gráfica reports. Many of those corpses showed signs of violence. Official records from the General Directorate of Prisons (DGCP) indicate that from 2013 to 2018, at least 121 died due to violent causes. Human rights organizations report that during the state of emergency in place since March 2022, 60% of the deceased in prisons showed signs of torture and physical abuse. According to DGCP data, from January 2013 to February 2021, 850 inmates lost their lives, either due to illness or confrontations between criminal groups. Additionally, there were 185 cases where the cause of death was not determined.

Over 7,300 Salvadorans were apprehended at the US southern border in November

According to El Diario de Hoy, in November 2023 alone 7,389 Salvadorans were apprehended at the United States southern border while trying to enter the country irregularly. This is the highest number of encounters since July 2022 (7,952). About 13% of those apprehended (961) were unaccompanied minors, 101 more than in October and the highest figure in one year. According to testimonies of Salvadorans arrested at the border, the primary reason for travelling illegally to the U.S. is the challenging economic situation they face in their home country.

The Attorney General's Office (FGR) of El Salvador announced the arrest of three men allegedly affiliated with an illicit human trafficking organisation. The suspects were acused of charging $15,000 to transport victims to the United States. “The @FGR_SV in coordination with the @PNCSV carried out the capture of 3 members of a gang of human traffickers. According to the investigations, these subjects charged up to $15,000.00 to take the victims to the United States illegally,” said the FGR in a statement on social media.

Pneumonia deaths

The Ministry of Health in El Salvador has reported that between January 1 and November 25, 2023, at least 674 people died from pneumonia in the Latin American nation. The number of pneumonia-related deaths recorded in 2023 is lower than the previous year when 1,126 people died from the disease. However, hospitalisations for pneumonia increased by 90% in 2023 compared to 2022, with 15,557 people hospitalised as of November.

Drunk driving road accidents

Driving while drunk or under the influence of drugs is the seventh most common cause of road accidents in El Salvador, according to El Salvador's National Road Safety Observatory. As of December 13, there had been 630 accidents resulting in 475 injuries and 44 fatalities. Humanitarian aid organisation Cruz Verde Salvadoreña (CVS) reports that most of these accidents occur mainly during the night hours between Thursday and Sunday. “In the care that we provide as an institution, in traffic accident care, we could mention that the days that are close to the weekend, we are talking about Thursday and Friday, we have an increase in accidents. Saturday and Sunday are the same. The trend in this type of attention is that drunk people are involved,” said the CEO of CVS, quoted by local media El Diario de Hoy .

Strong winds expected

The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN) in El Salvador has reported that strong winds from the north of El Salvador are expected in the Latin nation within the coming days. The Ministry announced that the winds might start from December 19 to December 21. “They will be accentuated in high areas of hills, mountains and volcanoes and the maximum expected values ​​will range between 45 and 55 kilometres per hour,” said the MARN, quoted by local media Diario 1 .

Former president Mauricio Funes’s reimbursement

The Attorney General's Office of El Salvador has requested the Second Civil Chamber of the State of San Salvador to enforce the reimbursement of $409,145.09 by former President Mauricio Funes and his son, Diego Roberto Funes Cañas, to the state, after they were convicted of illicit enrichment in 2017, local media El Mundo reports. Former president Funes was convicted for illicit wealth of $206,660.55, while Cañas was convicted after failing to prove the legal origin of $212,484.54.

What they said

Salvadorean airport authorities in a statement said, “The Government of President Nayib Bukele is working hard on modernization and expansion projects at the El Salvador International Airport, in order to provide a first-class service to all users and passengers who circulate through the air terminal”. However, a senior policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute, Ariel Ruiz Soto says, “This could be an attempt to reduce secondary travel of travelers coming to El Salvador who then could potentially try to make it to the United States.”