El Salvador Reports 70% Drop in Murders in 2023 Amidst Aggressive Anti-Gang Measures
El Salvador experienced a significant 70% decrease in homicides in 2023 attributed to the government's aggressive anti-gang initiatives.
Security Minister Villatoro announced a decline to 154 murders from the previous year's 495, resulting in a rate of 2.4 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, one of the lowest in the Americas.
The popularity of President Bukele's hardline policy follows years of gang-related crimes. Yet, human rights advocates criticize the measures, citing reports of torture, deaths in custody, and arbitrary arrests.
The 2022-declared emergency state enables swift arrests and detention of suspected gang members, bypassing legal protections. Arrests have soared to nearly 75,000 with 7,000 releases, but human rights groups have documented 190 deaths and over 5,000 abuses during the crackdown.
Additionally, the UCA has questioned the accuracy of official figures, suggesting underreporting, and these do not account for gang members killed in clashes with security forces or those who die in custody.
The popularity of President Bukele's hardline policy follows years of gang-related crimes. Yet, human rights advocates criticize the measures, citing reports of torture, deaths in custody, and arbitrary arrests.
The 2022-declared emergency state enables swift arrests and detention of suspected gang members, bypassing legal protections. Arrests have soared to nearly 75,000 with 7,000 releases, but human rights groups have documented 190 deaths and over 5,000 abuses during the crackdown.
Additionally, the UCA has questioned the accuracy of official figures, suggesting underreporting, and these do not account for gang members killed in clashes with security forces or those who die in custody.
