San Salvador, El Salvador Capital City.
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 gangs controlled neighborhoods, collected extortion money, and threatened people. Now, new security measures and anti-crime policies have led to big changes in public safety.
But as violence has gone down, new questions have come up about human rights, the independence of the courts, and prison conditions. Looking at these issues helps explain El Salvador’s crime situation in 2026.
Geography and Criminal Trafficking Routes
El Salvador is in Central America, and its location has long made it a stopover for illegal goods. The country shares borders with Guatemala and Honduras, linking it to established smuggling routes in the region.
The country’s mountains and crowded cities make some trafficking harder. However, criminals still use roads, hidden border crossings, and coastal areas to move drugs, weapons, contraband, and migrants.
El Salvador’s Pacific coast also makes maritime trafficking possible. Criminal groups can get shipments offshore, move cargo to smaller boats, and send illegal goods to other Central American countries.
El Salvador is not a major producer of cocaine, so its role in international drug trafficking is smaller. Its main importance comes from being on the routes that link South America to northern markets.
History of Organized Crime in El Salvador
From Civil War to Postwar Criminal Activity
El Salvador’s modern crime problems developed partly from the country’s violent past. A civil war lasting from 1980 to 1992 left approximately 75,000 people dead and deeply damaged national institutions.
The 1992 Peace Accords ended the fighting and set up a plan for democratic reforms. They also led to the creation of the National Civil Police, which replaced the old militarized security forces.
Even after peace, violence continued. Ex-combatants, easy access to weapons, poverty, and weak institutions all played a part in crimes like kidnapping, car theft, and illegal trafficking.
Over the years, street gangs became a bigger threat. As they grew, they brought territorial fights, regular extortion, and organized violence to communities already facing economic and social challenges.
The Rise of MS-13 and Barrio 18
Two organizations eventually dominated El Salvador’s gang landscape: Mara Salvatrucha, commonly known as MS-13, and Barrio 18, also called the 18th Street Gang.
Both gangs developed strong connections to gang culture in the United States. Deportations during the 1990s helped spread their influence throughout Salvadoran neighborhoods and communities.
Young people facing limited employment opportunities, social exclusion, and family instability sometimes joined these groups. Gang membership offered protection, belonging, and income, although participation often came with serious consequences.
The gangs grew by using extortion, selling drugs locally, making threats, and controlling territory. Businesses, transport workers, and regular people were often forced to pay money or face violence.
Early Anti-Gang Policies and the 2012 Truce
Over the years, Salvadoran governments tried tough anti-gang strategies called mano dura, or iron-fist policies. While these efforts led to more arrests, they did not break up the gangs’ organizational structures.
Locking up large numbers of people brought new problems. Gang leaders gained more control inside prisons, recruited new members, and kept running criminal activities even while behind bars.
In 2012, MS-13 and Barrio 18 agreed to a controversial truce that briefly lowered reported homicides. Government officials and religious leaders helped make the deal happen.
The arrangement eventually collapsed, and violence escalated again. By 2015, El Salvador recorded more than 100 homicides per 100,000 residents, making it one of the world’s most violent countries.
The experience exposed the limitations of negotiating with criminal organizations. It also demonstrated how deeply gangs had embedded themselves within communities, prisons, and local economies.
Security Policies Under President Nayib Bukele
The Territorial Control Plan
President Nayib Bukele took office in June 2019 and made public security a central government priority. His administration introduced a strategy combining police operations, military deployments, and territorial surveillance.
The Territorial Control Plan and its anti-gang actions aimed to take back neighborhoods, cut off gang funding, and increase security forces in areas that used to be unsafe.
During Bukele’s first years as president, the number of homicides dropped significantly. Official data shows the rate went from about 36 per 100,000 people in 2019 to 17.6 in 2021.
But investigative journalists found signs that government officials may have negotiated with jailed gang leaders. The administration said it did not make deals with criminal groups.
These allegations complicated the debate over why violence had fallen so quickly. Security operations, possible gang arrangements, and changes in criminal behavior all became subjects of public scrutiny.
The State of Exception and Mass Arrests
A surge of gang violence in March 2022 led the government to take strong security actions. Authorities said that 87 people were killed over three days.
The Legislative Assembly approved a state of exception, which gave police more power, limited some constitutional rights, and let authorities detain suspected gang members using emergency rules.
Security forces launched nationwide operations targeting gang structures and suspected collaborators. Tens of thousands of people were arrested, while many remaining gang members went into hiding or fled.
The crackdown made gangs much less visible in communities. People living in areas that used to be dangerous said they could move around more freely, run businesses, and use public spaces.
However, human rights organizations documented allegations of arbitrary detention, mistreatment, and deaths in custody. Critics also questioned whether emergency measures provided adequate safeguards for innocent detainees.
Declining Homicides and Changing Security Conditions
El Salvador’s homicide figures have fallen dramatically since the introduction of the government’s security policies. Official statistics recorded a rate of 2.4 homicides per 100,000 residents in 2023.
This drop was a big shift from El Salvador’s past reputation for violence. Many people noticed their neighborhoods felt safer and they could move around more easily.
Still, interpreting the figures requires care. Researchers and human rights organizations have questioned official counting methods, including how authorities classify certain deaths and exclude some categories.
Even with ongoing debates about transparency and how long these changes will last, the drop in El Salvador’s homicide rate is still one of the country’s biggest security achievements.
The central challenge is maintaining those improvements without relying indefinitely on extraordinary powers. Lasting security also depends on functioning institutions, economic opportunities, and public confidence in the law.
Official data published in January 2026 shows that El Salvador had 82 intentional homicides in 2025, or 1.3 per 100,000 people.
Independent experts agree that gang violence has fallen sharply. Still, InSight Crime’s 2025 homicide review points out that El Salvador’s way of counting homicides is different from international standards.
Criminal Groups Operating in El Salvador
MS-13 and Barrio 18
MS-13 and Barrio 18 used to control most organized street crime in El Salvador. Their groups ran neighborhoods, collected extortion money, and kept order by intimidating people.
Barrio 18 later broke into two rival groups, called Sureños and Revolucionarios. Fights within the gang, battles over territory, and clashes with MS-13 led to years of deadly violence.
The government’s mass arrests severely weakened these organizations. Many former gang strongholds no longer experience the same visible criminal control that shaped daily life before 2022.
InSight Crime’s 2026 report says the crackdown has broken up much of both gangs’ ability to operate, and there is no clear sign that they are making a comeback.
However, dismantling visible gang structures doesn’t necessarily eliminate every criminal network. Authorities must continue monitoring remaining members, recruitment attempts, and possible changes in organized crime.
El Salvador Crime Profile: Drug Trafficking and Transport Networks
In addition to street gangs, El Salvador has long been home to criminal networks called transportistas. These groups focus on moving illegal goods and drugs along established trafficking routes in the region.
Unlike neighborhood gangs, transportistas rely more on their connections and transportation networks than on controlling territory. They move and store illegal goods, arrange border crossings, and work with larger criminal organizations.
Some networks have worked with international drug trafficking organizations, including Mexican cartels. Their activities depend partly on access to transportation infrastructure and, in some cases, corrupt officials.
El Salvador plays a smaller role in the international cocaine trade than major trafficking hubs in the region. Still, its location makes it challenging for authorities to secure the country’s borders and coastal waters.
El Salvador Crime Profile: Security Forces
National Civil Police
The National Civil Police (PNC) is El Salvador’s main civilian law enforcement agency. It investigates crimes, keeps public order, and works to stop organized criminal groups.
The PNC was formed after the 1992 Peace Accords to replace military-style policing with a civilian force. Over time, its role has grown, especially during anti-gang efforts.
Under Bukele’s administration, police officers have conducted neighborhood patrols, coordinated arrests, and supported intelligence operations. Their activities form a central part of the government’s public security strategy.
The National Civil Police reports that their security operations have led to many arrests, weapons seizures, and other results. These numbers show how the government describes its own performance.
Armed Forces and Military Participation
El Salvador’s Armed Forces are now more involved in domestic security. Soldiers work alongside police on patrols, help secure key locations, and take part in major operations against suspected criminal groups.
The military’s role became especially noticeable after 2019, when the government sent more troops into neighborhoods that have long struggled with gang violence and extortion.
During the state of exception, soldiers also helped establish security perimeters around communities. Authorities used these operations to identify suspected gang members and restrict criminal movement.
The military’s bigger role at home has sparked debate about civilian oversight. Human rights groups have voiced concerns about arbitrary arrests and abuses during joint police and military operations.
These concerns show why accountability matters. Security forces need to protect communities, follow legal procedures, and keep the public’s trust in their institutions.
El Salvador Crime Profile: The Judicial System
Courts, Prosecutors, and Judicial Independence
El Salvador’s judicial system is made up of the Supreme Court, lower courts, specialized criminal tribunals, and the Attorney General’s Office. These bodies are responsible for investigating, prosecuting, and deciding criminal cases.
The relationship between these institutions and the executive branch has become more controversial in recent years. Knowing how El Salvador’s government and political institutions work helps explain changes in the country’s judicial system.
In 2021, lawmakers who supported President Bukele removed several Constitutional Chamber magistrates and the attorney general. Critics said these actions weakened judicial independence and reduced checks on power.
The government said its wider changes to institutions were needed to improve governance and address long-standing issues. Opponents warned that political control over the courts could threaten fair trials.
Judicial independence is still crucial for criminal justice. Judges need to review evidence, protect the rights of defendants, and make decisions without outside pressure from political leaders.
Mass Trials and Due Process Concerns
The state of exception brought major changes to criminal proceedings. Authorities gained more power to detain people, and new laws allowed large groups of suspected gang members to be tried together.
Supporters say these procedures help prosecutors handle thousands of cases linked to organized crime. Critics, however, wonder if each defendant gets a fair chance to challenge the charges.
In October 2026, Human Rights Watch raised serious concerns about due process. They pointed to problems with mass trials, limited access to evidence, and not enough time for defendants to prepare their cases.
The organization also said that security forces had detained over 93,000 people since March 2022. Many of these detainees were still in prison waiting for court decisions.
These changes raise tough questions about how to balance criminal accountability with constitutional rights. For prosecutions to work well, there must be solid evidence, independent judges, and real chances for defendants to respond.
El Salvador Crime Profile: Prisons and the Penitentiary System
The History of Gang Control Inside Prisons
El Salvador’s prison system has struggled with overcrowding, violence, and inadequate resources for decades. Before recent security reforms, incarcerated gang leaders exercised considerable influence over criminal operations.
In the past, authorities separated prisoners based on their gang ties. This was meant to prevent fights, but it also let gangs strengthen their leadership within certain prisons.
Gang leaders kept in touch with members outside prison, organized extortion, and enforced discipline among inmates. In some prisons, these groups had a lot of control over daily life.
Over time, different governments put in place stricter communication rules, boosted security, and changed how prisoners were classified. Bukele’s administration took these steps further as part of its fight against organized crime.
CECOT and Maximum-Security Detention
The government opened the Terrorism Confinement Center, or CECOT, in 2023. This facility quickly became a symbol of El Salvador’s tougher stance on imprisoning gang members.
Located in Tecoluca, San Vicente, the CECOT maximum-security prison and its detention system were designed to hold large numbers of prisoners under extensive security restrictions.
Government officials present CECOT as a facility intended to prevent gang leaders from coordinating criminal activities. Strict surveillance, limited contact, and controlled movement form part of its operating model.
However, the prison has faced international criticism for its detention conditions, lack of transparency, and limited access to lawyers. Human rights groups have also raised concerns about how prisoners are treated.
Overcrowding and Human Rights Concerns
Mass arrests have greatly increased the number of people in El Salvador’s prisons. Today, the prison system holds many more inmates than it did before the nationwide crackdown.
In October 2026, Human Rights Watch estimated that about 120,000 people were incarcerated in El Salvador. This is around 2% of the country’s population and puts El Salvador among the countries with the highest incarceration rates in the world.
Overcrowding puts extra strain on medical care, sanitation, food supplies, and prison management. When people are held in pretrial detention for long periods, it also makes it harder for families to get information about their relatives in prison.
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has reported claims of arbitrary detention, torture, and deaths in custody. The commission has also called for better protections and more accountability.
The government says that tough prison policies are needed to stop gangs from rebuilding. However, human rights advocates argue that better security does not excuse violations of basic rights.
El Salvador Crime Profile: The Future of Crime and Security
El Salvador has experienced one of the most dramatic reductions in gang-related violence in recent Latin American history. Neighborhoods once dominated by criminal organizations have undergone substantial changes.
These improvements affect more than crime statistics. Families, workers, and business owners can experience greater freedom of movement, although economic and social challenges remain.
For a broader perspective, understanding what everyday life in El Salvador is really like helps connect security improvements with employment, community life, public services, and living conditions.
The country’s long-term challenge involves maintaining public safety while strengthening judicial independence, improving prison conditions, and addressing the social factors that previously encouraged gang recruitment.
El Salvador’s experience shows how quickly aggressive security policies can transform a country’s crime landscape. Whether those gains remain sustainable will depend on effective institutions, accountability, and lasting opportunities for communities.