International News: Murders in El Salvador down for half of 2022 amidst gang crackdown

Published by BBNTEAM at January 3, 2023

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Posted: Tuesday, January 3, 2023. 2:36 pm CST.

By Zoila Palma Gonzalez: Today, the Salvadoran Government said that murders tumbled 56.8% in 2022 amidst the country’s crackdown on gangs, Reuters report.

The Central American nation has for years had one of the world’s worst murder rates.

In 2022, Salvadoran authorities recorded 496 murders, down from 1,147 recorded in 2021, Defence Minister Francis Merino said.

However, the tally does not count the deaths of gang members killed in encounters with police.

Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele extended the state of emergency every month after March 2022.

The measure suspended certain constitutional rights in order to combat the notorious Barrio 18 and MS-13 gangs.

Since then, the country has detained 60,000 people and human rights groups have raised concerns and demanded that the rights of those being detained are respected.

“The reduction in homicides is a result of the state of exception, because that number of criminals is no longer on the streets harming the population,” Merino said.

Surveys show that majority of Salvadorans agree with the gang crackdown measures.

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