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 everyday life. Today, the country’s declining homicide numbers have become a central part of discussions about public safety and security in El Salvador.

Understanding these changes requires more than looking at annual statistics. Historical trends, government security policies, and questions about how authorities classify deaths all help explain El Salvador’s changing homicide figures.

El Salvador Homicide Statistics for 2026

This year’s homicide figures are comparable to those of the same period in 2025, further reinforcing the country’s ongoing security transformation.

From January 1 to October 20, 2026, the Salvadoran National Police (PCN) reported 49 homicides for a 0.17 daily rate, eight less than the 57 recorded in the same 2025 period. At this rate, El Salvador is projected to conclude 2026 with 61 homicides, equal to 0.96 homicides per 100,000 people.

For comparison, El Salvador finished 2025 with 82 officially recorded homicides and an annual rate of 1.36 per 100,000 inhabitants, according to the country’s security authorities.

It is important to note that the homicide statistics for 2019 to 2026 do not include the deaths of alleged gang members who have died in confrontations with Salvadoran security forces.

Daily Homicide Rate in 2026

El Salvador’s daily homicide rate in 2026, broken down by month, reflects the country’s continued progress in reducing violent deaths.

Homicides per Month in 2026

El Salvador’s monthly homicide figures for 2026 provide a closer look at violent deaths throughout the year. The month-by-month breakdown helps track changes in homicide numbers.

Days Without Homicides in 2026

El Salvador’s monthly breakdown of days without homicides in 2026 shows how often the country went without a reported killing. These figures highlight the country’s changing security situation and reflect the downward trend in homicides observed in recent years.

Bukele’s Administration and the Homicide Decline

Since President Nayib Bukele took office in June 2019, homicide rates have consistently dropped year over year:

• 2015: 18.24 homicides per day (106.3 per 100,000 people), Most violent year since the end of the civil war.
• 2019: 6.57 homicides per day (35.8 per 100,000 people), Bukele’s first six months in office, “June to December.”
• 2020: 3.67 homicides per day (21.2 per 100,000 people), the lowest in decades at the time.
• 2021–2025: Each year broke the previous year’s record low, culminating in 2025’s unprecedented numbers.
• 2025: 0.22 homicides per day (1.36 per 100,000 people), the lowest in over five decades.

The administration has hailed these results as proof of the success of its security policies. However, critics, both domestically and internationally, have raised concerns.

El Salvador Homicide Rate

El Salvador’s homicide rate shows how many intentional killings happen each year for every 100,000 people. This standard way of measuring helps researchers compare violence in countries with different population sizes.

Since 2019, the official number of homicides in the country has dropped significantly. Government officials say this is mostly because of stronger security efforts, anti-gang actions, and more control by security forces.

However, some people have questioned the official statistics. Investigators and human rights groups wonder if all types of violent deaths are counted the same way in the country’s reported homicide numbers.

Because of this, you should look at both government-reported homicide numbers and independent estimates when judging the country’s current security situation.

El Salvador Homicide Rate by Year

El Salvador has seen one of the biggest drops in lethal violence in Latin America. This change stands out even more when you compare recent numbers to those from ten years ago.

In 2015, the country experienced its deadliest year in recent history, recording more than 6,600 homicides. By 2025, the annual total had fallen to just 82.

The following table shows how homicide numbers have changed, using figures reported by Salvadoran security authorities. The rates represent annual homicides per 100,000 inhabitants.

The numbers show that homicide rates were already declining before President Nayib Bukele took office in 2019. However, the decrease accelerated during his administration, particularly after the introduction of the state of exception security measures in 2022.

Why Was El Salvador’s Homicide Rate So High?

For years, El Salvador faced gang violence, territorial disputes, and organized crime. These issues grew over decades and touched communities all across the country.

MS-13 and Barrio 18 became major sources of insecurity. Their activities included extortion, threats, forced displacement, and killings, mostly in neighborhoods under their control.

Gang violence was not the only challenge El Salvador faced. Weak institutions, few economic opportunities, and the long-term effects of the civil war also made it easier for criminal groups to grow.

Residents in gang-controlled communities frequently faced restrictions on movement. Crossing into another neighborhood could expose someone to threats, while businesses sometimes paid extortion demands simply to continue operating.

What Caused the Decline in Homicides?

El Salvador’s homicide decline reflects changes in security policies, law enforcement operations, and the government’s approach to organized crime. However, the downward trend began before the country’s most aggressive anti-gang measures.

The Territorial Control Plan

After taking office in June 2019, President Nayib Bukele introduced the Territorial Control Plan, a security strategy intended to weaken criminal organizations and restore government authority in gang-affected communities.

The plan led to more police and military presence, stronger security operations, and more government resources directed to areas known for gang activity and violence.

Homicides continued falling during the plan’s implementation. Still, separating the effects of individual policies from other factors remains difficult, especially given questions surrounding earlier government-gang negotiations.

The State of Exception

In March 2022, El Salvador declared a nationwide state of exception due to a rise in gang-related killings. These emergency measures granted authorities greater power to detain individuals and temporarily suspended certain constitutional protections.

Under this security measure, authorities arrested tens of thousands of suspected gang members and stepped up efforts against criminal groups. The government says these actions have made gangs weaker and led to fewer homicides.

The policy has also sparked debate. Human rights groups have reported claims of arbitrary arrests, mistreatment, deaths in custody, and limits on due process during the state of exception.

Security has significantly improved. Still, people are debating whether the government’s approach can keep crime low while also protecting rights and making the justice system stronger.

Gang Truce Allegations

President Bukele and his administration credit the homicide reduction to their security measures. However, some members of the opposition, along with the U.S. government, allege that this reduction resulted from a secret truce between gangs and the Bukele administration.

On December 8, 2021, the U.S. Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on two members of Bukele’s cabinet, alleging secret negotiations with criminal gangs.

“Osiris Luna Meza (Luna) and Carlos Amilcar Marroquin Chica (Marroquin) led, facilitated, and organized a number of secret meetings involving incarcerated gang leaders, in which known gang members were allowed to enter the prison facilities and meet with senior gang leadership. These meetings were part of the Government of El Salvador’s efforts to negotiate a secret truce with gang leadership.” U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Those accused of negotiating with criminal gangs to reduce homicides have not publicly responded to the claims.

How Reliable Are El Salvador’s Homicide Statistics?

Official homicide statistics provide an important measure of public safety, but the way authorities collect and classify information can influence the results.

El Salvador’s government reports intentional homicides through its security agencies. Still, some independent researchers worry that certain deaths are left out of the published numbers.

These concerns cover deaths in clashes with security forces, killings inside prisons, and bodies found in hidden graves. Leaving out these cases can make it harder to compare El Salvador’s numbers with countries that use different reporting standards.

InSight Crime and the U.S. Congressional Research Service have pointed out these differences in methods, but they also note that reported homicides have dropped significantly.

So, it’s important to look at both the official numbers and how they’re reported. There’s no doubt that deadly violence has gone down, even if people still debate exactly by how much.

How Does El Salvador Compare With Other Central American Countries?

El Salvador previously had much higher homicide rates than its Central American neighbors. However, this situation has changed, as the country’s officially reported homicide numbers have decreased.

Recent government statistics place El Salvador among the countries with the lowest reported homicide rates in the region, contrasting sharply with its position during the previous decade.

However, meaningful regional comparisons require statistics from the same year and consistent definitions of intentional homicide. Differences in reporting practices can affect the rankings and conclusions.

For a broader perspective, comparing the Central America homicide rate across individual countries helps explain how El Salvador’s security situation fits into regional trends.

What Does the Lower Homicide Rate Mean for El Salvador?

As homicides have decreased, Salvadorans are experiencing daily life differently. Areas that were once known for gang violence now have more people, businesses, and public events.

Now, people can travel through neighborhoods that used to be dangerous. Businesses and visitors are also seeing the benefits of better public safety and less gang activity.

However, homicide numbers do not tell the whole story about safety. Issues like extortion, disappearances, domestic violence, and protecting individual rights are also important when looking at a country’s overall security.

El Salvador shows that homicide rates can change quickly. Keeping these improvements over time will depend on strong institutions, clear reporting, and long-term security policies.

El Salvador Homicide Stats 2019-2021