Life in El Salvador

Salvadoran Authorities Increase Efforts to Remove Drunk Drivers
Drunk driving remains a grave concern in El Salvador, posing a significant threat to road safety. Despite legal measures and public awareness campaigns, the prevalence of intoxicated drivers continues to jeopardize lives and demand urgent attention. To that effect, the Salvadoran authorities are increasing their efforts to remove these drivers. … Read more

Jesuit Priest Jose Maria Tojeira (UCA): The Bitcoin Law is a Total Inefficiency!
The Jesuit priest, Jose Maria Tojeira (UCA), stated in last week’s radio program, “Al Filo de la Semana,” that the Bitcoin law was a total inefficiency. Tojeira made the statements in response to a comment made by the Vice President of the Republic, Felix Ulloa, that the Bitcoin Law had … Read more

Opinion: El Salvador’s gang crackdown is working, but criticism over human rights violations continues
After a dramatic increase in homicides over three days in late March 2022 that left 87 Salvadorans dead, President Nayib Bukele and his security cabinet took swift action to stop the violence and start a gang crackdown; they requested the Legislative Assembly the approval of the State of Exception. President … Read more

183 Days Without Homicides in El Salvador in 2023 and 453 in Total Under the Bukele Administration
There have been 183 Days Without Homicides in El Salvador in 2023 and 453 in Total Under the Bukele Administration. An impressive achievement, considering that before the Nayib Bukele Presidency, El Salvador had experienced less than five days without homicides in 15 years. To put it in context, the previous … Read more

El Salvador’s Homicide Rate in 2023 is 0.41 Per Day or 2.3 Murders Per 100,000 Inhabitants
El Salvador’s homicide rate in 2023 is 0.41 per day or 2.3 murders per 100,000 inhabitants. In 2022, the Salvadoran murder rate was 1.4 per day or 7.8 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants. In 2022, El Salvador closed with 495 homicides, a reduction of 56.84% compared to the previous year. 2022 … Read more

2023 Surf Tournaments in El Salvador. The ALAS Surf City El Salvador Pro is Next!
Once again, the 2023 Surf Tournaments in El Salvador have brought attention to the excellent Salvadoran surfing spots and the Surf City El Salvador project. This year, the country has hosted five top-level international surf tournaments. The ALAS Surf City El Salvador Pro is next and will be the last … Read more

How El Salvador’s Police Creates, Uses Its Gang Database
Authorities routinely count gang “members” and, in the case of El Salvador, “aspiring” members and “collaborators.” But how do they do it, and what are the implications? A former high-level police official agreed under condition of anonymity to explain to InSight Crime how the government creates its gang database. The method is neither easy nor particularly empirical, but … Read more