Salvadoran Photojournalist Arrested in Spain While Seeking Asylum Under Interpol Warrant

January 03, 2026 – El Salvador/Spain –

A 25-year-old Salvadoran photojournalist, Diego Andrés Rosa Rosales, was arrested by Spanish authorities in Seville on January 2, 2026, while attempting to file for political asylum, after an international Interpol “Red Notice” requested by the government of President Nayib Bukele was activated, press freedom groups reported. The arrest occurred at a local police station where Rosa had gone to begin his asylum process and was taken into custody once the notification was triggered by Spanish officials.

Rosa has worked as a photojournalist covering human rights, social issues, and politics for outlets including El Faro, La Prensa Gráfica, and international publications. He relocated to Spain several months earlier and had been living there with his partner when he sought asylum, citing persistent harassment, threats, and alleged legal persecution by authorities in El Salvador linked to his reporting critical of the Bukele administration’s policies. Press freedom groups and the Salvadoran Press Association (APES) condemned the arrest as a misuse of international law enforcement cooperation to target a journalist, urging Spanish judicial authorities to release him and uphold protections for refugees and journalists.

Spanish press reports noted that Rosa was detained following the activation of the Interpol notice during his asylum application, which will be considered by the Audiencia Nacional, the national court responsible for extradition and asylum matters. He is expected to appear before a judge who will decide whether to continue with extradition proceedings to El Salvador or to advance his protection claim under Spanish and European asylum law. Legal representatives stated that although an extradition hearing will be scheduled, the existence of an active asylum request complicates automatic transfer, and judicial review will determine his immediate status.

APES and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) criticised what they described as the “abuse of police cooperation” by the Salvadoran government, asserting that using an international arrest warrant issued in part on alleged criminal charges reflects a broader pattern of pressure and repression against critical media voices under Bukele’s tenure. They have called on Spanish authorities and international bodies to safeguard Rosa’s rights and ensure that asylum processes are respected, noting that press freedom advocates have documented an exodus of journalists from El Salvador over fears of persecution in recent months.

Reference – 

https://macaubusiness.com/salvadoran-journalist-arrested-in-spain-press-group

https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/salvadoran-journalist-arrested-in-spain-press-group/article70466451.ece

https://www.barrons.com/news/salvadoran-journalist-arrested-in-spain-press-group-3d5cae27