Salvadoran Police. Violence in Central America has long been a prevailing issue, impacting the region’s social fabric and economic development. This ongoing issue continues to threaten the region’s stability and the well-being of its people.
In the 2024 Central America Homicide Rate rankings, El Salvador recorded the lowest rate at 1.9 murders per 100,000 people.
Panama, at 12.9, was second, followed by Guatemala (16.1), Costa Rica (16.7), and Honduras (25.3). Nicaragua has yet to release its official homicide statistics for 2024.
| Country | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2023-2024 % Change |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | El Salvador | 35.8 | 21.2 | 18.1 | 7.8 | 2.4 | 1.89 | -21.3% ▼ |
| 2 | Panama | 11.2 | 11.6 | 12.8 | 11.4 | 12.5 | 12.9 | 3.2% ▲ |
| 3 | Guatemala | 21.5 | 15.3 | 16.6 | 17.3 | 16.7 | 16.1 | -3.6% ▼ |
| 4 | Costa Rica | 11.0 | 11.2 | 11.5 | 12.8 | 17.2 | 16.7 | -2.9% ▼ |
| 5 | Honduras | 41.2 | 37.6 | 38.6 | 38.1 | 34.4 | 25.3 | -26.5% ▼ |
| 6 | Nicaragua | 7.5 | 4.4 | 5.7 | 6.7 | 6.2 | — | — |
Last year, Central America recorded approximately 6,946 homicides, resulting in a rate of 15.9 murders per 100,000 people. Encouragingly, this rate is lower than Latin America’s (18.4) and the Caribbean’s (32.1).
Guatemala and Honduras were responsible for the majority of the region’s homicides, totaling 5,372 murders, or 77.3% of all cases.
Although Honduras had the highest homicide rate in Central America last year, it achieved the most significant decline in the region, with its murder rate dropping by 26.5% from 34.4 to 25.3.
On the other hand, Panama recorded the highest percentage increase in homicides, rising by 3.2%. Panama was also the only country in Central America to experience a rise in murders in 2024.
El Salvador: The Lowest Homicide Rate in Central America
With a homicide rate of 1.89 per 100,000 people, El Salvador had the lowest rate in Central America in 2024, marking its second consecutive year in the top spot.
It’s important to mention that El Salvador excludes certain deaths from its homicide rate, such as those resulting from confrontations between authorities and suspected gang members, as well as bodies found in mass graves.
Excluding these deaths raises concerns about the accuracy of El Salvador’s reported 2024 homicide stats, with critics arguing that authorities are underreporting the true murder figures.
This underreporting complicates comparisons with other countries that follow the Bogotá homicide counting protocol, which El Salvador does not.
El Salvador’s security has undeniably improved under the Bukele administration. For example, not only does the 2024 homicide rate in El Salvador stand as the lowest in Central America, but it also holds the distinction of being the lowest homicide rate across all of Latin America and the Caribbean.
Honduras: The Highest Homicide Rate in Central America
Honduras continues its trend as the Central American country with the highest homicide rate; Honduras has maintained this position since 2019.
Even though Honduras achieved a 26.5% decrease in its homicide rate in 2024, the country retained its high level of violence, registering a rate of 25.3 murders per 100,000 people.
Hondura’s homicide rate exceeds the Latin American average of 18.4 but is lower than the Caribbean average of 32.1
The Xiomara Castro administration implemented a State of Exception in 2023, intending to reduce violence similar to El Salvador. However, the security measures haven’t worked as the homicide rate remained high.
