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The Authoritarian Escalation of LGBTQ+ Repression: The Digital Security Threats Facing El Salvador
In recent years, the Central American nation of El Salvador has witnessed an alarming rise in authoritarianism and repression against its LGBTQ+ community. This article explores the digital security threats facing these individuals, including the lack of accountability for hate crimes, the use of digital security tools to silence dissenting voices, and the silencing of LGBTQ+ rights and freedoms.
Summary:
The article highlights the growing crisis faced by El Salvador's LGBTQ+ community, with a focus on the lack of accountability for hate crimes, the use of digital security threats, and the silencing of dissenting voices. The article also explores the efforts of activists and human rights defenders to document and record cases of hate crimes against LGBTQ+ people in El Salvador, using encrypted platforms and automatic self-destruct functions to protect sensitive information.
The Central American nation of El Salvador has witnessed a rise in authoritarianism and repression against its LGBTQ+ community since President Nayib Bukele's assumption of power in 2019. The government has eliminated the Directorate of Sexual Diversity, sparking widespread outrage and fear among LGBTQ+ individuals. The lack of accountability for hate crimes committed against LGBTQ+ people is a significant threat to their community. Activists have created a centralized database to track cases of hate crimes, but face challenges such as the Foreign Agents Law and military repression. Digital security threats are increasingly common, with activists using encrypted platforms like Signal and Proton to protect themselves. LGBTQ+ individuals in El Salvador fear their identities will be erased and their voices silenced by the government. The situation in El Salvador has led to an escalation of authoritarianism and repression against LGBTQ+ communities. International organizations and governments must take notice and provide support to activists and human rights defenders.
In recent years, the Central American nation of El Salvador has witnessed an alarming rise in authoritarianism and repression against its LGBTQ+ community. As the country's President Nayib Bukele assumed power in 2019, one of his first actions was to eliminate the Directorate of Sexual Diversity, sparking widespread outrage and fear among LGBTQ+ individuals. Since then, the situation has only worsened, with the government using increasingly violent means to silence dissent and suppress any form of political opposition.
One of the most significant threats facing El Salvador's LGBTQ+ community is the lack of accountability for hate crimes committed against them. In 2023 and 2024 alone, at least 182 cases of murders due to social intolerance were reported by the Attorney General's Office (FGR), without any clarity on what constitutes these categories or how they are defined. This ambiguity has allowed the government to avoid taking concrete measures to address the violence faced by LGBTQ+ individuals.
In response to this growing crisis, a group of human rights defenders and activists have come together to document and record cases of hate crimes against LGBTQ+ people in El Salvador. Led by Nicola Chávez, a doctoral student in American Studies and archivist, the organization has created a centralized database to track these incidents, using encrypted platforms and automatic self-destruct functions to protect sensitive information.
Despite the efforts of these activists, however, they face numerous challenges and risks. The Foreign Agents Law, recently approved by the Salvadoran Congress, requires organizations that receive international funding to register as "foreign agents" and are subject to a 30% tax on all foreign funding. This measure is seen as an attempt to economically stifle dissenting voices and silence any opposition to the government's policies.
Moreover, El Salvador's military police have been accused of using excessive force against LGBTQ+ individuals who engage in peaceful protests or express themselves openly. In May this year, a group of 100 members from the El Bosque cooperative held a peaceful protest to avoid being evicted, only to be repressed by the military and ending with the arrest of community leader José Ángel Pérez and lawyer Alejandro Henríquez.
The use of digital security tools has become increasingly important for LGBTQ+ activists in El Salvador, who have seen their personal data and online activity targeted by hate messages, insults, and threats on social networks. To address this issue, organizations like Amate have provided training to activists on digital rights, risk analysis, extortion, phishing, outing, surveillance, and revenge porn.
One of the most effective tools used by these organizations is encrypted messaging platforms such as Signal and Proton. These platforms provide a secure means for activists to communicate with each other without fear of interception or monitoring by the government. Additionally, VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) have become essential for protecting activists' online activities from surveillance.
For many LGBTQ+ individuals in El Salvador, the digital security threats they face are all too real. As one activist noted, "We take our Facebook photos and impersonate them on social networks, either to attack other collectives or to undermine personal aspects." This lack of awareness about digital security highlights the need for more comprehensive education and training programs.
Despite these challenges, activists remain committed to documenting and recording cases of hate crimes against LGBTQ+ people in El Salvador. As one activist stated, "At the university, we have had experiences of hate speech in classes. Professors have said that they share Bukele's thinking on gender ideology and that this has to disappear because it poisons the youth." This sentiment reflects a deep-seated fear among LGBTQ+ individuals in El Salvador that their community is under attack by a government that seeks to erase their identities and silence their voices.
In recent years, El Salvador's political situation has led to an escalation of authoritarianism and repression against its LGBTQ+ community. The lack of accountability for hate crimes, the use of digital security threats, and the silencing of dissenting voices have all contributed to a climate of fear and intimidation.
As the situation in El Salvador continues to deteriorate, it is essential that international organizations and governments take notice and provide support to activists and human rights defenders. The protection of LGBTQ+ rights and freedoms must be taken seriously by those in positions of power. The future of these individuals and communities depends on it.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/The-Authoritarian-Escalation-of-LGBTQ-Repression-The-Digital-Security-Threats-Facing-El-Salvador-ehn.shtml
Published: Thu Jul 3 04:50:43 2025 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
