In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is López and the second or maternal family name is Alfaro.
| Ruth Eleonora López | |
|---|---|
_in_the_video_Encuentro_de_organizaciones_de_San_Salvador.png) At a 2023 meeting of social organizations | |
| Born | Ruth Eleonora López Alfaro (1977-09-27) 27 September 1977 (age 47) San Salvador, El Salvador |
| Education | University of Havana |
| Occupation(s) | Lawyer, notary, researcher, analyst, activist |
| Employer | Cristosal [es] |
Ruth Eleonora López Alfaro (born 27 September 1977) is a Salvadoran lawyer, notary, social researcher, analyst, and human rights defender, recognized for her work in the fight against corruption and the promotion of transparency in El Salvador. In December 2024, she was included in the BBC's list of the world's 100 most inspiring and influential women.
Early life and education
Ruth Eleonora López was born in San Salvador on 27 September 1977. Her father was a teacher, which kindled her interest in teaching at an early age. Due to the Salvadoran Civil War, her family moved to Nicaragua, where she lived for 11 years, and later to Cuba, where she lived for 16. There she studied to be a lawyer, graduating from the University of Havana in 1999 with honors as the best foreign student and best student at its Faculty of Law.
In 2008, she returned to El Salvador, facing the challenges of adapting to the academic and work environment of a country still dealing with the aftermath of armed conflict and political transitions. She became a specialist in electoral law, human rights, and commercial law.
Professional career
López has played key roles in various public sector institutions, where she has worked to promote justice, transparency, and accountability. Her career spans work in the electoral field and leadership in the defense of human rights, questioning and challenging power structures.
Beginnings in electoral and public law
After her return to El Salvador, López began a career in public institutions, working in key areas of the legal and administrative fields.
At the Supreme Electoral Court (Spanish: Tribunal Supremo Electoral; TSE), she worked to strengthen democratic processes from 2008 to 2014.
At the Salvadoran Social Security Institute [es] (Spanish: Instituto Salvadoreño del Seguro Social; ISSS), she participated in legal and administrative supervision processes from 2014 to 2019, defending labor and social security rights, including the expansion of coverage for Salvadorans residing abroad and for independent workers.
As a member of the board of directors of the Superintendency of Competition from 2014 to 2021, she promoted legal practices focused on market regulation. In a December 2024 interview, she claimed to have been responsible for more than $8 million in fines to companies for anti-competitive practices in various economic sectors. She was part of the decision that forced the sale of national beer brands Suprema and Regia Extra to prevent a "significant limitation of competition" caused by the purchase of SABMiller's operations in El Salvador by AB InBev.
Academia and education
López has also taken on teaching roles at higher education institutions, focusing on training new generations of lawyers with a critical perspective on human rights, the rule of law and government transparency. She has also taught classes on commercial law. She is a consultant and associate professor at Central American University, San Salvador.
Defender of transparency and human rights
López is currently head of the anti-corruption and justice unit of Cristosal [es], a regional organization committed to defending human rights.
Through her participation in the media and social networks, she has maintained a critical stance against power. In an interview in March 2024, she stressed that "from the perspective of power, it is better that people do not know, because to the extent that people do not know, they exercise their rights less."
She has questioned the ability of institutions such as the TSE to guarantee democratic processes such as voting abroad. She has also criticized the lack of transparency in the management of public funds and the concentration of power in government structures.
Recognition
In December 2024, the BBC included López in its list of the 100 most inspiring and influential women in the world, highlighting her work in the fight against corruption and the protection of electoral and human rights in El Salvador.
References
- López, Ruth Eleonora (8 May 2024). "No, no nací en San Salvador Centro. Según mi partida, nací en San Salvador" [No, I wasn't born in San Salvador Centro. According to my certificate, I was born in San Salvador] (Tweet) (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 22 December 2024. Retrieved 22 December 2024 – via Twitter.
- López, Ruth Eleonora (12 August 2024). "Soy de la época en la que nuestras familias publicaban en el periódico cuando nos graduábamos" [I'm from the era when our families published in the newspaper when we graduated.] (Tweet) (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 22 December 2024. Retrieved 22 December 2024 – via Twitter.
- ^ Ramírez, Angélica (7 March 2024). "Ruth López: 'Desde la perspectiva del poder, es mejor que la gente no sepa, porque en la medida que la gente no sabe, ejerce menos sus derechos'" [Ruth López: "From the perspective of power, it is better that people do not know, because to the extent that people do not know, they exercise their rights less"] (in Spanish). Alharaca. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
- ^ "Ruth Eleonora López, de Cristosal, trabajó para gobierno del FMLN" [Cristosal's Ruth Eleonora López Worked for the FMLN Government]. Contrapunto (in Spanish). El Salvador. 26 September 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
- ^ Rodríguez, Milton (28 May 2022). "Ruth Eleonora López: Tribunal Electoral no tiene capacidad de control para el voto electrónico en exterior" [Ruth Eleonora López: Electoral Court Does Not Have the Capacity to Control Electronic Voting Abroad]. elsalvador.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 December 2024.
- Espinoza, Claudia (3 December 2024). "'Este reconocimiento representa la lucha de mujeres en el país', entrevista con Ruth Eleonora López" ["This recognition represents the struggle of women in the country," Interview with Ruth Eleonora López]. La Prensa Gráfica (in Spanish). La Libertad, El Salvador. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
- Barrera, José (12 January 2017). "El Salvador: Las marcas de cerveza Suprema y Regia están en venta" [El Salvador: Suprema and Regia Beer Brands are for Sale]. E&N (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 December 2024.
- Superintendencia de Competencia (PDF) (in Spanish). Government of El Salvador. 2021. pp. 6, 41. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 May 2024. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
- Guzmán, Jessica (25 June 2024). "Abogada Ruth López 'de ninguna manera' aceptaría ser propuesta para el TSE" [Lawyer Ruth López Would "under no circumstances" Accept Being Proposed for the TSE]. El Mundo (in Spanish). San Salvador. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
- Calvo, Gastón (8 June 2023). "Ruth López, abogada de la ONG Cristosal: 'El anuncio de la guerra contra la corrupción en El Salvador es sólo un slogan'" [Ruth López, Lawyer for the NGO Cristosal: "The announcement of the war against corruption in El Salvador is only a slogan"]. Infobae (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 December 2024.
- Parada, Abigail (4 April 2024). "Ruth López: 'No tenemos garantizado el derecho a la información pública'" [Ruth López: "We are not guaraneteed the right to public information"]. elsalvador.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 December 2024.
- Palma, Mariela (5 September 2022). "'Para combatir a las pandillas no se necesita un régimen de excepción, sino una Fiscalía que trabaje bien': Ruth López de Cristosal" [Cristosal's Ruth López: "To fight gangs, you don't need a state of exception, but rather a well-functioning Prosecutor's Office"]. La Prensa Gráfica (in Spanish). La Libertad, El Salvador. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
- Crespín, Verónica (3 December 2024). "Ruth López, la abogada salvadoreña incluida en las 100 mujeres influyentes según la BBC" [Ruth López, the Salvadoran Lawyer Included in the 100 Influential Women According to the BBC]. El Mundo (in Spanish). San Salvador. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
