“Our one rule, besides stick together, is don’t get caught.” This simple quote from S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders highlights the struggle between group identity and self-identity, as seen through the eyes of a 14-year-old boy who believes he is an outsider to society. In his world, there are only two types of people, “Greasers” and […]
Tag: El Salvador
Nayib Bukele: Millennial President, Age-Old Autocrat, Institutional Wrecking Ball
In 2021, El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele described himself as “the coolest dictator in the world” on Twitter. If Bukele limited his eccentricity to Twitter, such a declaration would cause about as much harm as Elon Musk’s memes. However, between planning to promote Bitcoin in Miami while chaos consumes his country at home and exploiting […]
When a Miscarriage is a Crime: El Salvador’s Humanitarian Crisis
“I’m afraid to die,” Beatriz told her doctor, Dr. Guillermo Ortiz, the Director of Obstetrics at El Salvador’s principal maternity hospital. Ortiz had just told Beatriz that her fetus was missing pieces of its brain and head and would not, under any circumstances, survive. Beatriz had lupus and kidney problems, and the pregnancy was killing […]
El Salvador’s Mining Ban: Land Rights, Development, and Democracy in Latin America
The landmark decision in El Salvador to ban all metal mining came as a surprise to many. It passed with multiple parties’ support, with none opposing, and is considered a huge win for environmental activism in the region. El Salvador’s water sources are especially vulnerable to pollution by practices of the mining industry, and existing […]
The Long Road To Peace In Central America
Can Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador Band Together to Banish the Gangs? In November 2016, the three Central American countries of Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador announced the establishment of a multinational taskforce to combat gangs and cross-border violence in the region. The three form Central America’s “Northern Triangle”, a region that often appears in […]
Where Are They Now?
The Unfinished, Yet Uncovered Saga of the Central American Migrant Crisis When news broke in June 2014 that an unprecedented 50,000 unaccompanied Central American children had arrived at the U.S. border since October 2013, the White House declared it an “urgent humanitarian situation,” drawing the attention and concern of the U.S. government, media, and public. By […]