El Salvador Replacing Gang Violence With State Violence: Amnesty
Amnesty International criticizes El Salvador's state of emergency for combating gang violence due to human rights abuses.
- Bilawal Riaz
- 1 min read
Amnesty International has criticized El Salvador’s state of emergency, initiated by President Nayib Bukele two years ago to combat gang violence, labeling it as disproportionate. While the crackdown has reduced homicides significantly, there are concerns about human rights abuses due to the suspension of civil liberties. Approximately 78,000 individuals have been detained under this provision, with reports of deaths in custody and prison overcrowding. With Bukele’s re-election and the emergency measure still in place, there are fears that the situation may deteriorate further. The government has vowed to continue its fight against gangs, despite these criticisms.