El Salvador closed 2024 with just 114 homicides, marking a record low largely attributed to President Nayib Bukele's continued state of emergency. This extraordinary measure grants the government substantial powers while limiting certain rights. According to Bukele, the nation now boasts the lowest homicide rate in the Western Hemisphere at 1.9 per 100,000—lower than any reported figure in Latin America for 2023.
The dramatic drop follows a fierce crackdown on street gangs that left El Salvador one of the world's deadliest countries in 2015. Since the emergency decree began in March 2022, over 83,000 arrests have been made, though many lacked due process. President Bukele has stated, "8,000 people who were innocent have been released," yet civil rights groups report 354 deaths in government custody. Despite controversies, Bukele enjoys high popularity as Salvadorans now feel safer in their neighborhoods.
While El Salvador's declining violence is noteworthy, questions about the ongoing necessity of emergency powers linger. Nonetheless, Bukele's administration maintains support from a supermajority in congress to uphold these special measures. These security gains have bolstered Bukele's political standing, culminating in an unprecedented second five-year term in February 2024, despite a constitutional ban on consecutive reelection. Critics, however, worry about the long-term implications of such concentrated power and the suspension of civil rights. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
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