In a recent statement, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele defended his government's controversial anti-gang measures, responding to criticism from former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet. Bachelet, who served as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, criticized El Salvador's approach, highlighting concerns over human rights violations.
Bachelet's remarks were made during an event in Guatemala, where she stated that the Salvadoran government's actions, including the detention of over 81,900 individuals under a state of emergency, violate due process and human rights. She emphasized the dire conditions in prisons, where detainees face overcrowding and inhumane treatment.
Since implementing the state of emergency in March 2022, the Salvadoran government claims that the homicide rate has dropped significantly to 2.4 per 100,000 inhabitants. However, human rights organizations have reported over 6,400 allegations of rights abuses, including arbitrary detentions and torture, alongside more than 300 deaths in custody, many with signs of violence.
This ongoing debate highlights the tension between security measures and human rights protections in El Salvador, a country that has transitioned from being one of the most dangerous in the world to one of the safest in the Western Hemisphere.