A mass trial has commenced in El Salvador for 486 alleged gang members, with footage released by the attorney general's office showing large groups of men attending the proceedings via video link from prison.

A "new right" political movement is gaining significant traction across Latin America, from El Salvador to Chile. This trend marks a notable shift away from years of left-wing political dominance in the region.

Costa Rican security personnel are participating in a new round of U.S.-led regional security exercises in El Salvador, alongside forces from six other countries.

El Salvador plans to implement life sentences for minors convicted of serious crimes. This policy change reflects a toughening stance on juvenile crime within the country's legal system.

A judge has halted the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran man who was previously mistakenly deported to El Salvador by ICE, to Liberia.

March marks four years since Nayib Bukele, the president of El Salvador, decreed a state of exception in 2022, a measure that has been described as trading freedom for order.

ICE has arrested an alleged machete-wielding MS-13 gangster known as 'the witch,' who was wanted in El Salvador for murder, after he was reportedly caught and released in California in 2023.

Human Rights Watch has urged the government of El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele to end the four-year state of emergency implemented to combat gangs, citing approximately 91,000 arrests, including children, made without warrants.

A report indicates that approximately 500 inmates have died during President Nayib Bukele's four-year-long crackdown on gangs in El Salvador.

El Salvador's parliament has approved the implementation of life imprisonment for minors convicted of murder, rape, and terrorism, a measure advocated by President Nayib Bukele.

More than 500 people have died in El Salvador's prisons over the past four years, with the government denying accusations of torture and deaths, while some estimates suggest the real number could exceed 2,000.

According to Numbeo's global cost of living index, Romania remains one of the most affordable countries globally and regionally for everyday expenses, including rent, with its cost of living ranking among the lowest worldwide.

El Salvador's parliament approved a constitutional amendment on Tuesday, allowing for life sentences for individuals convicted of murder, rape, and terrorism, a measure advocated by President Nayib Bukele.

Human Rights Watch has accused El Salvador of arbitrarily detaining its nationals who have been deported from the United States, raising concerns about human rights abuses.

Experts documented murder, torture and disappearances under president Nayib Bukele’s policy targeting gangs The draconian mass incarceration policy of El Salvador’s president, Nayib Bukele, may have led to crimes against humanity, according to a new study by legal experts. By locking up 1.4% of the population without due process, Bukele turned El Salvador from one of Latin America’s most violent countries into one of its least violent – but at the cost of human rights and the rule of law. Co...

Small, family-run coffee farms in El Salvador and Honduras are facing significant losses and rising costs as global coffee prices continue to fall, forcing them to adapt or risk being left behind.

After Donald Trump fired Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem on Thursday, Jimmy Kimmel was having the last laugh.

A recent slump in Bitcoin's value is reportedly disrupting President Nayib Bukele's vision for a 'digital utopia' in El Salvador, which has heavily invested in the cryptocurrency.

Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, an ally of Donald Trump, is reportedly accepting multi-million dollar donations from China for flagship projects while simultaneously strengthening his alliance with Washington.

23 individuals, including the owners and employees of El Salvador funeral home, are on trial for allegedly reusing coffins for two decades. A former employee, who documented the practice, was found hanged.

USR President Dominic Fritz described the public agitation surrounding the Economy Minister's decision to appoint former Gorj Police Chief Viorel Salvador Caragea as special administrator at Uzina Sadu as 'very suspicious'.

Environment Minister Diana Buzoianu commented on the controversial appointment of Viorel Salvador Caragea by Economy Minister Irineu Darău as the special administrator of the UM Sadu armament factory in Gorj County.

El Salvador, a Latin American country previously plagued by crime, is experiencing an unprecedented tourism surge following a state of emergency and the arrest of 90,000 gang members. However, the campaign also has a downside.

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Judge Orders ICE Not To Re-Detain Abrego Garcia Authored by Matthew Vadum via The Epoch Times, A federal judge has blocked U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) from re-arresting Kilmar Abrego Garcia, one of the men at the center of the Trump administration’s deportation battles. The Salvadoran national’s case attracted attention across the country, including widespread protests, after the federal government detained him in March 2025 and shipped him to El Salvador’s maximum security prison, the Terrorism Confinement Center, along with an airplane full of other deportees. He was later returned to the United States, where he has had long-running legal battles with the administration. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis, who ordered the administration to facilitate Abrego Garcia’s return last year, ruled on Feb. 17 that he cannot be deported again because the federal government has not presented a feasible plan for removing him from the country. The judge said that despite releasing Abrego Garcia, the government appeared to be making plans to re-detain him, so Abrego Garcia filed an emergency motion for a temporary restraining order to prevent being re-detained. The court previously granted the requested order. In the new order, the court granted Abrego Garcia’s request to upgrade the temporary restraining order to an injunction to prevent him from being re-detained. Abrego Garcia, who entered the United States illegally more than a decade ago, had been living in Maryland when federal agents arrested him. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security takes the position that Abrego Garcia is a “violent criminal illegal alien, and MS-13 gang member,” who “belongs behind bars and off American soil.” Abrego Garcia, who is facing separate criminal charges, denies being a member of MS-13, which has been designated a terrorist organization. Xinis previously ordered his release on Dec. 11, 2025, finding that because the federal government had never issued a final order of removal against him, it could not detain him in order to force him from the country. The government said in a brief last month that Abrego Garcia may be detained because an immigration judge issued an order of removal on Dec. 11, 2025, that became final on Jan. 13 of this year. Detention after that order “does not require that the country of removal be certain in order for detention to be lawful,” the brief said. The judge suggested the federal government is not serious about removing Abrego Garcia from the United States. Since he secured release from criminal custody in August 2025, the government has “made one empty threat after another to remove him to countries in Africa with no real chance of success,” she said. The judge said that, given the federal government’s maneuvering in the case, it was doubtful that Abrego Garcia would be deported in the “reasonably foreseeable future,” so he may not be re-arrested or put into immigration detention. “Respondents have done nothing to show that Abrego Garcia’s continued detention in ICE custody is consistent with due process,” Xinis said. In April 2025, Xinis had ordered that Abrego Garcia be returned to the United States from the prison in El Salvador. The same month, the Supreme Court ordered that the federal government take steps to bring him back to the United States. The government of El Salvador cooperated, and Abrego Garcia was returned to the United States in June 2025. At the same time, Abrego Garcia is currently facing federal criminal charges in Tennessee related to the alleged unlawful transportation of undocumented aliens. He has entered not guilty pleas to the charges. The May 2025 indictment brought against Abrego Garcia alleges that he “conspired to bring undocumented aliens to the United States from countries such as Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Ecuador, and elsewhere, ultimately passing through Mexico before crossing into Texas.” It alleges that Abrego Garcia and his co-conspirators obtained financial payments from the undocumented individuals for unlawfully transporting them into and around the United States. The indictment also alleges Abrego Garcia was “a member and associate of the transnational criminal organization ... [known as] MS-13,” which it describes as “a criminal enterprise engaged in ... acts and threats involving murder, extortion, narcotics trafficking, firearms trafficking, alien smuggling, and money laundering.” Abrego Garcia “used his status in MS-13 to further his criminal activity” over the life of the criminal conspiracy during which he and co-conspirators “knowingly and unlawfully transported thousands of undocumented aliens ... many of whom were MS-13 members and associates,” according to the indictment. Abrego Garcia’s attorneys have called the case “baseless.” “There’s no way a jury is going to see the evidence and agree that this sheet metal worker is the leader of an international MS-13 smuggling conspiracy,” attorney Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg said. The Epoch Times reached out for comment to the U.S. Department of Justice, which represents federal agencies in court. No reply had been received as of publication time. Tyler Durden Tue, 02/17/2026 - 20:55

An author shares his parenting philosophy, allowing his 8-year-old daughter to walk to school alone and teaching her to cook at age 7, drawing parallels to his own independent upbringing in El Salvador.

El Salvador has passed a new law authorizing life imprisonment for minors, with the provision applying to children as young as 12 years old.

Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele has signed reforms that allow for life prison sentences for individuals as young as 12, applicable to those convicted of serious crimes such as homicide, femicide, rape, and gang membership.

El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele announced a new technological experiment to integrate artificial intelligence into the public healthcare system, aiming to create health records and treatment plans.

A lawyer for a man shot by ICE in Northern California stated that his client had previously beaten a murder charge in El Salvador, alleging bad law enforcement work in the agency's pursuit.

Concerns are rising in El Salvador as mass trials for alleged gang members proceed, with fears that innocent individuals, like Williams Díaz, may be unjustly convicted alongside criminals.

While President Nayib Bukele showcases a 'new El Salvador' with clean streets and renovated facades, investigations reveal that thousands of detainees, previously not considered criminals, are now incarcerated under his policies.

A Salvadoran human rights organization says at least 500 people have died in state custody since President Nayib Bukele launched his anti-gang offensive four years ago, with the vast majority having…

As El Salvador's state of emergency reaches its fourth year, families are raising concerns about the severe impact of mass arrests on children who have been left without their parents.

La propuesta amplía el alcance de la reforma constitucional que fue aprobada el martes por la Asamblea Legislativa Leer

El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele has altered the Constitution to endorse life imprisonment, while his government criticized a report by international legal experts warning of crimes against humanity and lashed out at human rights organizations.

Oriente Salvaje in El Salvador is piloting the first surf insurance policy to protect livelihoods and ecosystems, fearing that extreme weather from the climate crisis threatens its renowned surf breaks.

A human rights group alleges that El Salvador is forcibly disappearing its nationals who have been deported from the United States, raising concerns about their safety and legal rights.

A suspected MS-13 gang member was arrested by the FBI in Connecticut for allegedly killing a pastor in El Salvador. He was then turned over to ICE.

El Salvador's tourism sector has seen a significant boost under President Bukele, with the country shedding its reputation as a crime capital.

A humanitarian organization claims that President Nayib Bukele's administration is holding 86 political prisoners in El Salvador, a situation not seen since the civil war.

Romanian Defense Minister Radu Miruță supports the appointment of Viorel Salvador Caragea as special administrator of the Sadu arms factory, despite protests and opposition from the PSD party.

Years of progress in El Salvador to release women imprisoned under strict anti-abortion laws are being undone, with a new wave of criminalization fueled by President Nayib Bukele's suspension of civil rights.

The politician from the Central American country defends the president’s ‘strong leadership’ model and, despite criticism from the international media, asserts that ‘everywhere, they want a Bukele’

A February 2026 regional poll by CB Consultora Opinión Pública ranks El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele as the best-rated Latin American leader with 72.6% approval, while Delcy is rated the worst.

Romania's Economy Minister Irineu Darău appointed Viorel Salvador Caragea, a former Gorj County Police Chief and special pension beneficiary, as the special administrator of the UM Sadu armament factory.

An El Salvador abortion rights group, after two decades of defending women jailed for pregnancy terminations, has ceased legal operations, citing a hostile environment under President Nayib Bukele’s government.

Case became focal point for immigration after he was deported to El Salvador where he faces gang threats Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) cannot re-detain Kilmar Ábrego García because a 90-day detention period has expired and the government has no viable plan for deporting him, a federal judge ruled on Tuesday. The Salvadorian national’s case has become a focal point in the immigration debate after he was mistakenly deported to his home country last year. Since his return, he has been fighting a second deportation to a series of African countries proposed by Department of Homeland Security officials. Continue reading...

A video from a Shakira concert in El Salvador has sparked controversy among fans, showing the pop superstar walking past a cameraman who stumbled and fell in front of her, leading to accusations of a lack of empathy.

El Salvador's President Bukele has extended life sentences to minors aged 12 and older for serious crimes such as homicide, femicide, rape, and gang membership.

Human rights organizations are raising concerns about Salvadoran migrants deported from the U.S. who routinely disappear into prisons upon their return to El Salvador, often remaining incommunicado for years.

A dedicated woman in El Salvador provides support and assistance to individuals who have recently been released from the country's prisons. She is often present to pick them up and help them transition back into society.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is preparing to deport an alleged MS-13 gang member from El Salvador, who is accused of murdering a pastor and was previously released into the U.S. in 2016.

Internal intelligence documents reveal that 36% of individuals arrested during El Salvador's state of emergency were not profiled as criminals prior to the measure's implementation.

Four years after implementing a state of exception, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele has strengthened his repressive power, introducing life imprisonment and concentrating more authority. These actions are seen as undermining democracy and have led to accusations of human rights violations.

El Salvador's legislature has approved life sentences for minors convicted of murder and rape, marking a significant change in the country's legal system.

The University of El Salvador celebrated the country's first graduation in Geological Engineering, with the first three engineers trained in El Salvador receiving their degrees, an achievement made possible with Italy's support.

A Venezuelan man has filed a lawsuit against the United States government, alleging wrongful deportation that resulted in his imprisonment in El Salvador.

El Salvador's parliament has overwhelmingly approved life imprisonment for murderers, rapists, and terrorists, abolishing the constitutional ban on lifers as part of President Bukele's tough anti-gang policy.

El Salvador has approved life sentences for crimes including murder, rape, and terror, indicating a significant toughening of its penal code.

Human Rights Watch states that Salvadoran nationals deported from the United States are being arbitrarily detained in El Salvador, with their families unable to locate or contact them.

A group of international jurists and a legal report accuse the government of Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele of committing crimes against humanity, including torture and disappearances, during its war against gangs under a state of exception.

Legal experts and jurists suggest that El Salvador has likely committed crimes against humanity during its ongoing state of emergency.

"I think I speak for all of us when I say we wish Kristi luck in her brand new, completely made up job," Jimmy Kimmel said

Bereaved mothers in El Salvador are forming a united front against gang violence, transforming their shared grief into solidarity and hope.

A Venezuelan man claims his rose tattoos led to his deportation to El Salvador's brutal prison system under the Trump administration, which accused him of gang affiliation. He is now in Colombia, seeking to clear his name.

Honduras' state of emergency, similar to El Salvador's, has failed to curb gang control in large areas of the country, with criminal groups maintaining power despite restricted rights and army deployment.

PNL deputy Alexandru Muraru strongly criticized the appointment of Viorel Salvador Caragea to lead the Sadu plant in Gorj county, calling it a 'profoundly inadequate decision'.

Radu Miruță, former Minister of Economy, explained the controversial appointment of Viorel Salvador Caragea, former commander of IPJ Gorj, as special administrator at the strategic Sadu Armament Factory, citing his past actions against theft.

El Tunco beach in El Salvador, once controlled by gangs, has transformed into a popular tourist destination, with visitors praising President Nayib Bukele's efforts despite concerns about human rights.

An art piece resembling the Mona Lisa, constructed entirely from plastic waste, has been created in El Salvador.

Authorities in Mexico and El Salvador have made significant cocaine seizures at sea, as the United States continues its lethal strikes against drug trafficking operations.