¡Cese la Represión! ¡Fin al Régimen de Excepción!

Friday, March 27, 2026 marked four years since the Government of El Salvador suspended basic constitutional rights under the guise of security and combatting gang violence. Beyond resulting in tens of thousands of arbitrary arrests and countless human rights abuses, the Bukele government has used the “State of Exception” as a tool of political repression and consolidation of power.

Bukele’s ramped-up “War on Gangs” - characterized by both illegality and inhumanity - also has many chilling parallels to Trump’s ramped-up war on migrants.

CISPES and solidarity and diaspora allies teamed up for a Week of Action on March 21 - March 30 to echo the demands of Salvadoran organizations like the Movement of Victims of the Regime (MOVIR) and others who are calling on the Bukele government to 1) end the unconstitutional State of Exception and 2) free those who have been unjustly detained.

It was a critical time to shine an international spotlight on the crisis in El Salvador. In January, the first mass trials began of people detained starting in 2022. Tens of thousands of people are at risk of being wrongfully sentenced - potentially for life - without an opportunity for an individualized trial or just legal representation.

In April, a group of international experts presented a powerful report concluding there are reasonable grounds for concern that the government of El Salvador is committing crimes against humanity. New reports from human rights organizations and academic researchers also document Salvadoran immigrants being arrested following deportation from the U.S. despite facing no criminal charges in El Salvador.

Our Week of Action also uplifted the legacy of Archbishop Oscar Romero, martyred on March 24, 1980, for being a leading voice in defense of human rights.

Check out the materials from our week of action activities, learn more about the State of Exception, honor the victims, and take action in solidarity with MOVIR and many other courageous groups being targeted by the Bukele government in El Salvador. (To bring information from our campaign to local events or organize your own, let us know at [email protected] and we can send you our toolkit).

Week of Action Recap: 

Monday, March 23 Webinar: Cese la represion: Immigrant Detention and Mass Incarceration from the U.S. to El Salvador Many tuned in to learn about the parallels between the State of Exception in El Salvador and Trump’s war on migrants in the U.S., featuring Samuel Ramirez from the Movement of Victims of the Regime, MOVIR and Amilcar Valencia, Executive Director of El Refugio in Georgia.

Tuesday, March 24: Romero Day of Action - National Call in Day. Hundreds joined us contacting Congresss to urge them to: 1) halt Trump’s appointment of a top DHS official to be the new ambassador to El Salvador, 2) investigate the Salvadorans who were disappeared into the CECOT last spring, and 3) end U.S. security assistance to El Salvador in light of well-documented human rights abuses! Find the materials for contacting your representatives here.

Wednesday, March 25: How does State of Exception affect Immigrants? On this day we focused on spreading the word about the dangers that arbitrary arrest and prolonged detention without trial pose to Salvadorans at risk of being deported to El Salvador, including our new fact sheet and various reports. Find out more & join in on social media: Instagram and Facebook

Thursday, March 26: Online Day of Action for Political Prisoners We kicked off efforts to show international solidarity with human rights defender Fidel Zavala and members of the La Floresta community who were jailed last February for defending their community lands. Check out our materials for posting a solidarity message on social media for Fidel and other Salvadoran political prisoners who are routinely denied almost any and all communication with their lawyers or loved ones. Find out more & join in on social media: Instagram and Facebook

Friday, March 27: Justice for the Victims, Freedom for the Innocent, and Fair Trials for All! On this day we launched a new online photo gallery to demand justice and uplift the over 400 people who have died in prison since the start of the State of Exception, to echo the calls to free tens of thousands of people who have been wrongfully detained and demand a fair trial and due process guarantees for each and every person!

Justice Profiles Gallery
Freedom Profiles Gallery

Monday, March 30 Webinar: Current Challenges in the Fight to Stop Mining in El Salvador. In March 2017, El Salvador’s legislature passed the world’s first and only ban on metals mining; Bukele and his party overturned it in December 2024. Learn from leading environmental defenders and community leaders in El Salvador about the struggle to resist mining today and the critical role for international solidarity.

In-person commemorations and vigils:

From Boston, MA to San Francisco and Los Angeles, CA, Chicago, Madison, WI, and Washington, D.C. CISPES chapters and allies (even internationally in Mexico City!) hosted events to honor the legacy of Monsenor Romero and demand justice and freedom for the victims of the State of Exception.

Boston CISPES hosted a moving "Remembering Romero Roundtable" and a Community art night and discussion on what Romero’s legacy means for organizing today with City Life/Vida Urbana

In Chicago, the Chicago Religious Leadership Network and Colectivo Alma de Izote for an event honoring Romero's legacy. Featuring music, art, analysis and testimonials at the lovely 18th Street Casa de la Cultura and also travelled to Wisconsin to collaborate with the Madison-Arcatao Sister Cities Project for a Celebration honoring Romero on the 46th anniversary of his Martyrdom at the Catholic Multicultural Center Community

In Washington, DC, Los Angeles and Bay Area California, CISPES chapters and local community groups (La Chiltota in Washington, DC) joined with allies to host powerful outdoor vigils honoring Romero’s legacy and the victims of 4 years of the State of Exception. Check out this powerful video from the Washington, DC vigil and the livestream here!

OTHER WAYS TO TAKE ACTION:
Resources for learning more about the state of exception
Print & write your own a solidarity post card to El Salvador’s political prisoners and victims of the State of Exception. Materials & instructions here.
Follow social movement groups on the frontlines of struggle in El Salvador at these social media handles: Bloque de Resistencia y Rebeldia Popular (IG: @bloquepopular, X: @Bloque_RP, Facebook); Movemiento de Víctimas del Regimen (MOVIR) (Facebook)