The War On News

A record of government actions against journalism and fact-based reporting, from the first press laws to today

Incident

El Salvador: freeze on assets of shareholders in El Faro's parent company, February to April 2026

El SalvadorRSF 2026 rank: 143rd of 180

Engraving of an empty press briefing room with a lectern and rows of chairs

Between February and April 2026, the government of El Salvador, headed by the president, Nayib Bukele, placed "preventative annotations" on a bank account and real estate belonging to two partners of Trípode S.A. de C.V., the parent company of the investigative news outlet El Faro, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a non-profit organization in New York. CPJ said on May 8, 2026 that "the targeting of individual shareholders' personal assets marks a dangerous escalation in the Bukele administration's long-standing effort to dismantle El Faro through administrative harassment." The sources cited give no public reason from the Salvadoran government for the measure.1

What happened

Between February and April 2026, the government of El Salvador, under the president, Nayib Bukele, froze personal assets of individual shareholders of Trípode S.A. de C.V., the parent company of the investigative outlet El Faro. CPJ reported that the government placed "preventative annotations" on a bank account and real estate belonging to two partners of the company.1234

In a report published on May 8, 2026, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said the freeze "marks a dangerous escalation in the Bukele administration's long-standing effort to dismantle El Faro through administrative harassment." El Faro has operated partly from exile.1234

The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), an international network of investigative reporters, reported that at least 40 Salvadoran journalists had fled into exile fearing imprisonment as of mid-2025. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has described legal, physical and financial pressure on independent Salvadoran journalism that is pushing it out of the country.1234

Status as of 2026-05-08: In effect, according to CPJ. No reversal is reported in the sources cited.3

What reason was given

Stated justification

The Salvadoran government has not given a public reason for the freeze in the sources cited (as of 2026-05-08). The Bukele administration has described earlier actions affecting critical outlets in terms of tax and regulatory compliance.4

What changed for reporting

Two partners in El Faro's parent company had a bank account and real estate placed under "preventative annotations," adding personal financial pressure to years of administrative and legal pressure that CPJ and RSF say has pushed Salvadoran journalists into exile.2

Timeline

2026

April 2026
El Salvador: freeze on assets of shareholders in El Faro's parent company, February to April 2026

Who acted

NameRole in this incidentOffice at the time
Nayib BukeleenforcedPresident of El Salvador

Outlets and journalists

NameKindRelation
El Farooutletaffected

Sources

  1. At least 40 journalists have fled El Salvador fearing imprisonmentInternational Consortium of Investigative Journalists, 2025-06, reporting. Source record
  2. Bukele administration freezes Salvadoran news outlet's assets in latest act of retaliationCommittee to Protect Journalists, 2026-05-08, reporting. Source record
  3. Independent press under siege in El Salvador: persecution, violence and financial strangulationReporters Without Borders, reporting. Source record

Claims and evidence

Each numbered claim quotes the source it rests on.

  1. CPJ reported the asset freeze occurred between February and April 2026.Between February and April 2026, the Salvadoran government placed "preventative annotations" on a bank account and real estate property belonging to two partners of Trípode S.A. de C.V.Bukele administration freezes Salvadoran news outlet's assets in latest act of retaliation, Committee to Protect Journalists, 2026-05-08.Claim 78, checked 2026-09-22.
  2. CPJ described the freeze as affecting individual shareholders' personal assets.The targeting of individual shareholders' personal assets marks a dangerous escalation in the Bukele administration's long-standing effort to dismantle El Faro through administrative harassment.Bukele administration freezes Salvadoran news outlet's assets in latest act of retaliation, Committee to Protect Journalists, 2026-05-08.Claim 79, checked 2026-09-22.
  3. CPJ's report describing the freeze was published May 8, 2026, with no reported reversal.Between February and April 2026, the Salvadoran government placed "preventative annotations" on a bank account and real estate property belonging to two partners of Trípode S.A. de C.V.Bukele administration freezes Salvadoran news outlet's assets in latest act of retaliation, Committee to Protect Journalists, 2026-05-08.Claim 80, checked 2026-09-22.
  4. No specific public rationale for the freeze was documented in CPJ's report.Between February and April 2026, the Salvadoran government placed "preventative annotations" on a bank account and real estate property belonging to two partners of Trípode S.A. de C.V.Bukele administration freezes Salvadoran news outlet's assets in latest act of retaliation, Committee to Protect Journalists, 2026-05-08.Claim 81, checked 2026-09-22.