A judge in El Salvador ordered that a lawyer and well-known critic of President Nayib Bukele remain in jail as his prosecution on charges of money laundering proceeds in a blow to critics pushing back against the government.
Enrique Anaya was detained by police earlier this month on money laundering allegations just days after calling Bukele a “dictator” on live TV. His arrest has been the subject of an outcry by human rights defenders.
Upon Anaya’s arrest, authorities did not provide details about the allegations against him despite posting a photo of the constitutional lawyer in handcuffs surrounded by armed police.
Advocates, legal experts and international watchdogs have warned that Bukele has grown emboldened by his alliance with U.S. President Donald Trump. He has moved to silence critics through recent arrests and a new foreign agents law that sent chills through nongovernmental organizations that receive overseas funding. Anaya’s June 10 arrest was just the latest example.
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