Summary
El Salvador ended 2024 with a record low 114 homicides, equivalent to 1.9 per 100,000 people, making it the safest country in the Western Hemisphere according to President Nayib Bukele.
The drop follows two years under a state of emergency aimed at eradicating gang violence, granting authorities sweeping powers but limiting civil rights.
Over 83,000 arrests have been made, though 354 detainees reportedly died in custody.
While criticized for human rights violations, Bukele’s crackdown has drastically improved security, boosting his popularity.
“Few”? You actually have nothing to back that up. Nothing. You have no idea if 1% or 5% or 10% or 50% or 80% are innocent. No idea. The police has no idea. Nobody has any idea and nobody seems to care.
The state eats up anyone who has a gang “vibe” (ie is a working class young man) without even a plan for some eventual trial and due process.
And yes, Terror has results here, but Bukele has not described what an exit from the state of exception will look like. Will there be actual trials in half a year, in 10 years? Nobody knows. Just praise the dear leader.
Once state monopoly in violence has been re-established, you need to re-establish rule of law, otherwise you’ve just replaced tyranny by gangs with tyranny by the state.