El Salvador

Minors linked to gangs will be sent to adult prisons in separate units until 18, a move backed by President Bukele and approved by Congress; Unicef warns it violates international child rights standards

The country offered to house convicted criminals deported from the US, including US citizens, in the country’s mega-prison for a fee, a proposal welcomed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio as a gesture of friendship

Congress has approved a law that would end the country's seven-year-old ban on mining for metals: president Nayib Bukele pushed to lift the ban, imposed in 2017 due to environmental concerns, claiming the country has vast gold deposits

El Salvador's new cybersecurity and data protection laws, establishing a state cybersecurity agency, risk limiting press freedom and privacy by enabling government censorship through a broad "right to be forgotten" clause, warns Human Rights Watch

Diplomatic relations with 16 new countries will be established in 2025, including opening an embassy in Egypt; the plan aims to boost trade, attract foreign investment, and enhance international cooperation on security

The government approved a 30-day extension of the state of exception as part of President Nayib Bukele’s strategy against criminal gangs; the measure, which passed with 57 out of 60 votes, aims to continue restoring public order across El Salvador

El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele has donated Bitcoin to fund 1.000 new schools in Honduras, aligning with his Bitcoin initiative to also fund philanthropic purposes

Human rights groups are calling for genetic of missing people, believed to have been buried in clandestine graves by gang members; around 51 sites have been found that potentially contain victims' remains; government is taking action and began excavating