Safety and Security


Traffic Deaths in El Salvador

Traffic Deaths in El Salvador Rise 25% This Year, 254 More Fatalities Than Last Year


Traffic-related deaths in El Salvador have risen in 2026. According to the Fund for the Care of Victims of Traffic Accidents (FONAT), authorities recorded 1,271 fatalities on the country’s roads from January 1 to November 11, a sharp increase compared … Read more

Days without homicides in El Salvador

Days Without Homicides in El Salvador: A Positive Trend in National Security and Public Safety


El Salvador’s ongoing safety transformation continues to make headlines in 2026, as the number of days without homicides increases—good news for people living in El Salvador. As of November 10, 2026, El Salvador has already recorded 266 days without a … Read more

El Salvador Homicide Rate

El Salvador Homicide Rate: From the World’s Most Violent Country to a Regional Security Model


The El Salvador Homicide Rate has dropped dramatically in recent years, marking a major change for a country that once struggled with some of the world’s highest levels of violence. For decades, gang activity, organized crime, and widespread insecurity affected … Read more

El Salvador Incarceration Rate

El Salvador Incarceration Rate: The Country Ranks Highest in the World in 2026


The El Salvador incarceration rate remains the highest in the world in 2026, with 1,659 prisoners per 100,000 residents, according to international prison statistics. The country’s large prison population is the result of years of tough anti-gang efforts. These policies … Read more

El Salvador Departments

El Salvador Crime Profile: Analyzing Criminal Groups, Security Forces, Prisons, and the Judicial System


The El Salvador Crime Profile shows how the country has changed its security situation after many years of gang violence, organized crime, and other challenges. Government crackdowns have changed both criminal activity and daily life. For many years, strong street … Read more

MS-13 Gang Profile

MS-13 Gang Profile: History, Criminal Activities, Leadership, and Its Future in El Salvador


The Mara Salvatrucha, or MS13, is perhaps the most notorious street gang in the Western Hemisphere. While it has its origins in the poor, refugee-laden neighborhoods of 1980s Los Angeles, the gang’s reach now spans from Central America to Europe. A predatory criminal organization, the MS13 lives mostly from extortion. But the gang’s resilience owes to its strong social bonds, which are created and strengthened via … Read more

Traffic Accidents in El Salvador

Traffic Accidents in El Salvador: Over 18,500 Cases and 2,043 Deaths Reported Thus Far in 2026


Traffic Accidents in El Salvador remain a serious public safety concern, affecting drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and motorcyclists. Thousands of crashes occur yearly, leaving families dealing with injuries, financial losses, and preventable deaths. As more Salvadorans travel between cities, towns, and … Read more