Ricardo Avelar
Selected speaking engagements on democracy, press freedom, authoritarian backsliding, and the misuse of power.
Invited to debate El Salvador's controversial but seemingly effective security policies. For over an hour, I argued against ignoring the rule of law when combatting insecurity, and shared lesser-known dimensions of El Salvador's war on gangs: the undermining of judicial independence, the growing criminalization of critical voices, and the weakening of checks and balances.
Invited by the U.S. Department of State and the South Korean government to speak at the third Summit for Democracy. I shared my experience of having been surveilled, explained how democratic backsliding in El Salvador has affected civic space, and made the case for stronger oversight of commercial spyware. I called on diplomats and civil society leaders to support independent journalism and to name authoritarian leaders plainly, without offering them repeated second chances.
Shortly after Bukele's reelection, I joined this podcast to examine his tenure in depth. Since 2019, his aggressive security measures have resulted in over 1% of El Salvador's population being arrested, transforming the country from the world's highest murder rate to the highest incarceration rate, often alongside abuses such as arbitrary detention and the erosion of due process. We examined the societal trade-offs involved, the moral questions raised, and the broader implications for democracy and human rights.
Participated in a panel on cyber risks to journalists worldwide and the misuse of spyware by authoritarian governments. I shared my personal experience of being surveilled in El Salvador, discussed the professional and personal implications of being targeted by a state, and advocated for the community of democracies to firmly and publicly condemn autocracies, rather than allowing them to thrive on international silence.
Spoke on a panel about the challenges journalists face in countries experiencing democratic backsliding, and the inseparable relationship between press freedom and democracy. "In democracies, there are no happy endings," I said. "Access to information, media freedom, and accountability do not grow on their own."
Invited as a guest on El Post, The Washington Post's Spanish-language podcast, to discuss the dismissal of 30% of El Salvador's judges. As political editor at El Diario de Hoy, I shared my perspective on the political and legal consequences of this unprecedented assault on the country's judicial system.
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