SAN SALVADOR (Portal) – Homicides in El Salvador fell by 56.8% in 2022 amid widespread crackdowns on gang violence, the government said on Tuesday, extending the sharp drop in homicides in a country that has been struggling had one of the worst homicide rates in the world for years.
Authorities recorded a total of 496 homicides last year, up from 1,147 in 2021, Defense Secretary Francis Merino said.
The tally does not include deaths of gang members killed in encounters with security forces, bringing the total to 600.
The government hasn’t given a homicide rate, but in any case, according to government data, the numbers have fallen sharply from a 2015 peak of 103 homicides per 100,000 people.
President Nayib Bukele asked Congress to authorize a temporary state of emergency and suspend certain constitutional rights to combat notorious Barrio 18 and MS-13 gangs following a surge in violence in March.
The controversial measure, which has been extended several times and remains in effect, unleashed a militarized offensive that has resulted in over 60,000 arrests of suspected gang members.
Human rights groups have raised questions about alleged ill-treatment during the state of emergency, including possible arrests of innocent people and cover-up of the deaths of those detained in state custody.
“The drop in homicides is a consequence of the state of emergency because that number of criminals are off the streets and harming the community,” Merino said.
Polls show that a majority of Salvadorans support the move, which has established a military presence in neighborhoods at high risk of gang violence.
(Reporting by Nelson Renteria; Writing by Brendan O’Boyle; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)