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LATIN AMERICA ADVISOR

LATIN AMERICA ADVISOR

A daily publication Of the dialogue

January 3, 2024

Are Human Rights Crumbling Amid El Salvador’s Strategy?

Nearly two years ago, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele launched his security strategy, which has led to tens of thousands of arrests. // File Photo: Salvadoran Government.

Q

  • Amnesty International released a report on Dec. 5 accusing the Salvadoran government of subjecting prisoners to the “systematic use of torture and other mistreatment.” The report describes President Nayib Bukele’s sweeping crackdown on gangs, which has jailed 74,000 Salvadorans, as one of the most serious human rights crises in El Salvador since the end of its civil war in 1992. Is El Salvador turning back the clock in terms of state abuse of human rights? Have Bukele’s policies made El Salvador safer? And if so, can improving security or curtailing gang power justify the abuses detailed in Amnesty’s report? Does rising criticism of Bukele’s security policies stand a chance of hurting his electoral campaign?

A

Christine J. Wade, professor of political science and international studies at Washington College in Chestertown, Md.: “El Salvador’s state of exception, which the government originally instated following a homicide spree in March 2022, has now been extended 21 times, meaning that the state of exception is the new normal rather than the exception. While Bukele touts its success, government data shows that one-third of gang members remain at large. While residents of some communities have reported notable reductions in violence and gang presence, that experience isn’t uniform. Moreover, the solitary focus on gangs ignores other forms of violence that Salvadorans suffer, which have received virtually no attention during this period. The state of exception is very popular with many Salvadorans, weary from…”

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