Tim Muth
@timmuth.bsky.social
Civil rights lawyer who has written for 20 years about El Salvador at ElSalvadorPerspectives.com.
Shouting "I want a public trial," Ruth Lopez is brought by police to her initial hearing in a court in El Salvador midday today. The judge overseeing the case has placed the entire proceedings under seal to prevent any public disclosure of the case against the anti-corruption lawyer.
June 4, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Shouting "I want a public trial," Ruth Lopez is brought by police to her initial hearing in a court in El Salvador midday today. The judge overseeing the case has placed the entire proceedings under seal to prevent any public disclosure of the case against the anti-corruption lawyer.
Cristosal has filed a habeas corpus petition with El Salvador's Supreme Court seeking freedom for anti-corruption lawyer Ruth López. 15 days have passed since her late night arrest without her having been brought before a judge.
June 2, 2025 at 10:07 PM
Cristosal has filed a habeas corpus petition with El Salvador's Supreme Court seeking freedom for anti-corruption lawyer Ruth López. 15 days have passed since her late night arrest without her having been brought before a judge.
Salvadoran judge Juan Antonio Durán shares his view of the 25 acts most violatory of the rule of law in El Salvador since Bukele assumed power 6 years ago.
June 1, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Salvadoran judge Juan Antonio Durán shares his view of the 25 acts most violatory of the rule of law in El Salvador since Bukele assumed power 6 years ago.
This is what passes for due process in Bukele's El Salvador under the permanent State of Exception. A mass trial against 250 defendants, who appear on video screens from prisons, and have had no right to talk to their own defense lawyers.
May 31, 2025 at 11:16 PM
This is what passes for due process in Bukele's El Salvador under the permanent State of Exception. A mass trial against 250 defendants, who appear on video screens from prisons, and have had no right to talk to their own defense lawyers.
One of Bukele's Venezuelan close advisers was in the Oval Office for Bukele's meeting with Trump. Sara Hanna Georges is the taller woman standing behind the sofa next to El Salvador's Minister of Defense.
April 21, 2025 at 1:55 PM
One of Bukele's Venezuelan close advisers was in the Oval Office for Bukele's meeting with Trump. Sara Hanna Georges is the taller woman standing behind the sofa next to El Salvador's Minister of Defense.
The story takes an unexpected turn. But not surprised to see Bukele dress someone up, arrange a setting for the backdrop of photos, and use it to troll his critics.
April 18, 2025 at 1:38 AM
The story takes an unexpected turn. But not surprised to see Bukele dress someone up, arrange a setting for the backdrop of photos, and use it to troll his critics.
As Bukele arrives at White House, what other prison arrangements has he come prepared to sell to Trump?
April 14, 2025 at 3:35 PM
As Bukele arrives at White House, what other prison arrangements has he come prepared to sell to Trump?
Marco Rubio announces arrival of 10 more alleged gang members from Venezuela and El Salvador to go to CECOT. We do not know whether they had any criminal record in any country, what proof existed, and whether Alien Enemies Act was used as justification.
April 13, 2025 at 10:29 PM
Marco Rubio announces arrival of 10 more alleged gang members from Venezuela and El Salvador to go to CECOT. We do not know whether they had any criminal record in any country, what proof existed, and whether Alien Enemies Act was used as justification.
Order to return Abrego Garcia from El Salvador upheld by 4th Circuit. Govt petitioned SCOTUS to block both this order and Boasberg's order in the Alien Enemies Act case. Unfortunately my prediction is that Bukele will charge him under El Salvador's draconian gang laws and refuse to return him.
April 7, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Order to return Abrego Garcia from El Salvador upheld by 4th Circuit. Govt petitioned SCOTUS to block both this order and Boasberg's order in the Alien Enemies Act case. Unfortunately my prediction is that Bukele will charge him under El Salvador's draconian gang laws and refuse to return him.
Trump invites his favorite jailer, Nayib Bukele, to visit him at the White House on April 14. Will he ask Bukele to send back the man his administration admits is imprisoned in El Salvador because of an "administrative error?"
April 3, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Trump invites his favorite jailer, Nayib Bukele, to visit him at the White House on April 14. Will he ask Bukele to send back the man his administration admits is imprisoned in El Salvador because of an "administrative error?"
Here's some of what US Treasury Department wrote about Osiris Luna Meza, the man in charge of El Salvador's prisons, when it hit him with Global Magnitsky Act sanctions in December 2021. home.treasury.gov/news/press-r...
March 26, 2025 at 11:44 PM
Here's some of what US Treasury Department wrote about Osiris Luna Meza, the man in charge of El Salvador's prisons, when it hit him with Global Magnitsky Act sanctions in December 2021. home.treasury.gov/news/press-r...
And here, an ecumenical service this morning in the chapel at Divina Providencia, which often rang with the shouts ¡Sí a la vida! ¡No a la minería! "Yes to Life! No to Mining!"
March 24, 2025 at 10:54 PM
And here, an ecumenical service this morning in the chapel at Divina Providencia, which often rang with the shouts ¡Sí a la vida! ¡No a la minería! "Yes to Life! No to Mining!"
Group of attorneys in El Salvador say they have been hired by government of Venezuela to file a habeas petition with El Salvador Supreme Judicial Court on behalf of Venezuelan migrants in CECOT. (Never has worked for Salvadorans, sorry Venezuela)
March 24, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Group of attorneys in El Salvador say they have been hired by government of Venezuela to file a habeas petition with El Salvador Supreme Judicial Court on behalf of Venezuelan migrants in CECOT. (Never has worked for Salvadorans, sorry Venezuela)
Today is the 45th anniversary of the assassination of archbishop Oscar Romero by a death squad in El Salvador while saying mass. Here is a translated quote from his sermon on Sept. 10, 1978 about the responsibility of the church to preach for justice in society.
March 24, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Today is the 45th anniversary of the assassination of archbishop Oscar Romero by a death squad in El Salvador while saying mass. Here is a translated quote from his sermon on Sept. 10, 1978 about the responsibility of the church to preach for justice in society.
In the Alien Enemies Act case, Judge Boasberg ruled today that even if the US could remove TdA members from the US under the AEA, the Convention Against Torture could prevent the US from removing them to Salvadoran prisons because of the conditions of CECOT and the prison system in El Salvador.
March 24, 2025 at 5:19 PM
In the Alien Enemies Act case, Judge Boasberg ruled today that even if the US could remove TdA members from the US under the AEA, the Convention Against Torture could prevent the US from removing them to Salvadoran prisons because of the conditions of CECOT and the prison system in El Salvador.
An MS-13 leader, being prosecuted in EDNY, pled guilty to RICO and terrorism charges yesterday. Marlon Antonio Menjívar Portillo (Rojo de Park View), is 1st of defendants to plead. Interesting development at time when charges were dropped for another MS leader, "Greñas", deported to ES last weekend
March 20, 2025 at 6:44 PM
An MS-13 leader, being prosecuted in EDNY, pled guilty to RICO and terrorism charges yesterday. Marlon Antonio Menjívar Portillo (Rojo de Park View), is 1st of defendants to plead. Interesting development at time when charges were dropped for another MS leader, "Greñas", deported to ES last weekend
Catholic Church in El Salvador delivered a petition with 150 thousand signatures to the Legislative Assembly today, calling for reestablishment of the gold mining ban in the country.
March 18, 2025 at 6:06 PM
Catholic Church in El Salvador delivered a petition with 150 thousand signatures to the Legislative Assembly today, calling for reestablishment of the gold mining ban in the country.
An under-reported aspect of this story is that those planes also carried an MS-13 gang leader, indicted in the US on terrorism charges, who could have testified to Bukele's negotiations with MS-13 at the beginning of his term as president.
March 17, 2025 at 5:31 PM
An under-reported aspect of this story is that those planes also carried an MS-13 gang leader, indicted in the US on terrorism charges, who could have testified to Bukele's negotiations with MS-13 at the beginning of his term as president.
If it is accurate that 101 Venezuelans sent to El Salvador were not gang members, but sent under "regular immigration law", are they all part of the persons sent to Bukele's mega-prison? This is really disgraceful.
March 16, 2025 at 11:59 PM
If it is accurate that 101 Venezuelans sent to El Salvador were not gang members, but sent under "regular immigration law", are they all part of the persons sent to Bukele's mega-prison? This is really disgraceful.
Time to repost my 2024 article on the prisons of El Salvador under the current State of Exception. www.elsalvadorperspectives.com/2024/03/the-...
March 16, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Time to repost my 2024 article on the prisons of El Salvador under the current State of Exception. www.elsalvadorperspectives.com/2024/03/the-...
While a federal judge orders otherwise.
March 16, 2025 at 5:13 PM
While a federal judge orders otherwise.
Bukele's post on X regarding receiving Venezuelans sent by Trump to be imprisoned in CECOT for a fee.
March 16, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Bukele's post on X regarding receiving Venezuelans sent by Trump to be imprisoned in CECOT for a fee.
Chivo Pets, the vet hospital that Nayib Bukele said was built with profits from Bitcoin (although he claims to never have sold BTC to realize profits), is closing. More evidence of the undoing of Bukele’s Bitcoin gambit.
March 9, 2025 at 2:21 AM
Chivo Pets, the vet hospital that Nayib Bukele said was built with profits from Bitcoin (although he claims to never have sold BTC to realize profits), is closing. More evidence of the undoing of Bukele’s Bitcoin gambit.
In the air this Friday morning is one of semi-regular deportation flights to El Salvador on ICE Air's contractor Eastern. Haven't noticed a significant uptick in February of deportation flights to El Salvador. This flight is coming from the ICE processing facility in Alexandria Louisiana.
February 28, 2025 at 3:16 PM
In the air this Friday morning is one of semi-regular deportation flights to El Salvador on ICE Air's contractor Eastern. Haven't noticed a significant uptick in February of deportation flights to El Salvador. This flight is coming from the ICE processing facility in Alexandria Louisiana.
Two men who could not care less for the rule of law.
February 13, 2025 at 3:35 AM
Two men who could not care less for the rule of law.