El Faro Asset Freeze Called Regional Harassment Tactic by Press Freedom Group

The Institute for Press and Freedom of Expression (IPLEX) in Costa Rica has issued a stark warning, denouncing the recent intervention of personal assets belonging to partners of the Salvadoran digital outlet El Faro as a "regional trend" aimed at silencing critical voices. This move by the government of President Nayib Bukele is seen not as an isolated incident, but as part of a broader strategy employing fiscal and judicial pressure, arbitrary use of criminal law, and public stigmatization to undermine independent journalism.

El Faro, which established its administrative and legal structure in Costa Rica in 2023 after facing operational challenges in El Salvador, has characterized the asset freeze as the latest chapter in a prolonged "fiscal persecution." The outlet asserts that these attacks consistently follow its publications on alleged "mafioso pacts," corruption, and the concentration of power within Bukele's administration and its close circles. IPLEX has expressed its firm solidarity with El Faro, highlighting that these actions are part of a pattern of harassment that began in 2020, contributing to El Salvador's dramatic decline in press freedom rankings.

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The case of El Faro is not isolated, but part of a regional trend that combines fiscal and judicial pressure, arbitrary use of the penal code and public stigmatization to weaken critical media. These practices erode pluralism, restrict debate and affect citizen oversight.

IPLEX emphasizes that freedom of expression and the press are fundamental rights essential for democracy. By intimidating journalists and blocking their resources, the Salvadoran state, according to IPLEX, violates society's right to be informed. The institute implores the Salvadoran state to cease its harassment and adhere to its international commitments. Furthermore, it calls upon the international community to actively monitor and support the protection of the press in El Salvador, urging citizens, academia, and media organizations to unequivocally defend the principle that a free press is indispensable for a functioning democracy.

This situation is particularly concerning from a regional perspective, as El Faro's experience mirrors tactics seen elsewhere in Latin America where governments seek to control the narrative and suppress dissent. The move of El Faro's legal structure to Costa Rica was a strategic decision to ensure continued operation, yet this latest action demonstrates the far-reaching efforts to stifle independent reporting. The reports from the Association of Journalists of El Salvador (APES) about journalists fleeing the country due to harassment and fear of arbitrary detention further underscore the perilous environment for media professionals in El Salvador.

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Freedom of expression and the press are fundamental rights and indispensable conditions for democracy. When a State intimidates journalists or blocks their resources, it also violates society's right to be informed.