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.
On the one hand, Bukele is basically installing an authoritarian dictatorship here, so can we even trust these numbers? And the real big fish criminals are probably in cahoots with the regime. And of course people are getting eaten up by an inhumane, classist system that is producing a lost generation. So fuck all that.
On the other hand however, the previous situation was indeed unlivable. It was like living in the purge every day, with people living under the thumb of petty gangsters. And I’m really struggling to come up with an example of a nation coming back from this kind of collapse without some kind of Terror, in the Jacobin sense.
Like, sometimes a state of exception, a state of emergency is actually justified, and the state needs to re-establish the monopoly on violence. If Claudia Sheinbaum went Bukele against the Cartels in the north for example, would she really not be justified?
definitely numbers to take with a grain of salt. but by accounts from people living there, the difference is noticable even if it’s not as high as what the government says. even tourism has had a huge uptick because people actually feel pretty safe going there now.
You can’t make an omelet without cracking a few eggs
Without eggs a few cracking an omelette can’t make you
All Salvadorians I hear from say they are happy with the situation.
Selection bias no? You’re not exactly going to hear from the innocent person stuck in a jail without representation or due process.
Please, tell us all how El Salvador should do it? Go back to the old ways?
“security”, as long as you won’t get arrested and imprisoned without a trial, because of a vague suspicion because you entered a shop which got robbed 3 hours ago and you just came there to buy some cheese. Ah well, better 10 innocent imprisoned than 1 guilty in the streets, right? Oh no, it’s El Salvador, Better 100 innocent imprisoned than 1 guilty in the street. Better safe then sorry!
So, go back to how it was before? Is that what you’re saying? There’s either this way, or the way it was before. Ask the people of El Salvador what they prefer.
Easy when you toss people into a pit without due process. I wonder what the percentage is of innocent people rotting in those inhumane prisons they built. Not to mention that those prisons and form of justice will eventually be turned towards the next batch of “undesirables” in no time. Including his political opponents. This president can wear a backwards hat and act like he’s a man of the people, but he’s a wealthy nepo oligarch.
Edit: you’re a fool if you think this guy isn’t hiding the real numbers
Oh brother… so, what do you suggest? Go back to the old ways? How about we ask the majority of Salvadorians what they think?
“How about we ask the majority of Salvadorians what they think?”
When you say “the majority of Salvadorioans” are you including those who are currently imprisoned? If not, then it’s just a matter of imprisoning everyone who disagrees with those in charge…
“are you including those imprisoned” oh brother…spotted the liberal.
Only people on the Left, hardcore liberals are complaining about the job he’s doing. Because you know, low life scum criminals deserve to be treated with dignity.
