IHK Pfalz criticized: Business trip to El Salvador despite human rights violations!

IHK Pfalz criticized: Business trip to El Salvador despite human rights violations!

The upcoming business trip of the Palatinate Chamber of Industry and Commerce to El Salvador from November 6th to 9th, 2025 is providing a lot of conversation. Critics, including German human rights organizations, accuse the Chamber of Commerce of ignoring the serious human rights violations in the country. The IHK promotes the trip as a platform for networking, business initiation and cultural exchange, while the situation on site paints a completely different picture. America21 reports that almost 90,000 people have been arbitrarily arrested since the state of emergency was introduced in March 2022; Around two percent of the population is affected, although many are considered innocent.

The reports speak for themselves: highly stressed prisons and documented cases of torture and deaths in custody are the order of the day. Particularly worrying are the targeted repression against government critics, the restricted freedom of the press and the criminalization of civil society organizations. The Ecumenical Office for Peace and Justice also emphasizes that the IHK's portrayal of El Salvador as an attractive investment location is dangerously misleading. In fact, human rights and the rule of law are increasingly being eroded in the country under President Nayib Bukele.

Criticism of the IHK trip

The upcoming trip comes as the situation in El Salvador continues to deteriorate. As Amnesty International notes in its latest report, freedom of expression is severely restricted and protests raising concerns about human rights are severely suppressed. Large numbers of demonstrators are intimidated, threatened and, in some cases, even arbitrarily detained. In addition, trade unions are also seriously affected: in 2023, several trade unions were dissolved and trade unionists were persecuted. A clear violation of basic workers' rights, which also points to the government's aggressive policies.

The IHK, however, is unimpressed and praises the dynamic growth in key sectors such as tourism, infrastructure and renewable energies. Nevertheless, she leaves the serious problems uncommented, including the forced evictions for new hotel complexes and the controversial “Bitcoin City” project, which has a severe impact on the environment. The country also suffers from high levels of corruption, and many of the projects primarily benefit government-affiliated companies, while the local population has little say.

Social and ecological consequences

Particular attention is paid to the social and ecological consequences of these projects. The use of water resources and the destruction of the already polluted environment does not only benefit investors. Many communities involved in this process feel left out; their rights are often ignored. The reports show that the country's economic instability is also a result of the policies led by Bukele. Its failed Bitcoin experiment has put a heavy strain on the state budget, and the rise in poverty and unemployment is a cause for concern, with nearly 10 percent of the population living in extreme poverty.

The Ecumenical Office for Peace and Justice calls for a clear stance from German institutions. In their position, they emphasize that responsibility for economic activities abroad must be taken. Calls to suspend cooperation and investments in El Salvador until basic human rights standards are restored are becoming louder. This shows that the discussion about this business trip goes far beyond economic interests; it is closely interwoven with ethical considerations and responsibility towards human rights.

In view of the complex and worrying situation, the IHK's planned business relationships are in jeopardy. The question that now arises is whether it is possible to get a good deal when the price is human rights.