El Salvador: Emergency regime enters into force due to homicides escalation

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The exception regime approved by the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador early Sunday morning due to the escalation of homicides in the country went into effect after its publication in the Official Gazette, informed President Nayib Bukele.

“I have sanctioned (signed) and published the decree of EXCEPTION REGIME in the Official Gazette, which goes into effect this very day and will be valid for 30 days,” the president posted on his Twitter account.

Bukele assured that “the measures to be taken will be implemented by the relevant institutions and announced only when necessary”.

“For the vast majority of people, life continues as normal. God bless us all,” he added.

Congress decreed the emergency regime to curb an “uncontrolled increase” in violence, which has put the government’s security strategy in check with 76 murders in two days, a criminal record in the country’s recent history.

The government of Nayib Bukele asked Congress to decree such a measure due to the “serious disturbances of public order” generated by gangs.

MEASURES OF THE REGIME

The measure was approved with the votes of 67 deputies out of 84 during an extraordinary plenary session.

The deputies endorsed the suspension of freedom of association, right of defense, and inviolability of correspondence.

In addition, the prohibition of the interception of telecommunications without judicial authorization was suspended, and the term of administrative detention was extended to 15 days when it usually is 72 hours.

Saturday became the day with the highest number of homicides registered in recent Salvadoran history with 62 murders, in addition to the 14 murders on Friday.

In November 2021, the country also registered a sudden spike in homicides that left more than 40 murders in three days; in that context, Bukele criticized claims that his government has a “truce” with the gangs.

In December 2021, the US Treasury Department sanctioned two Bukele government officials for allegedly holding “secret negotiations” with Mara Salvatrucha (MS13) on behalf of the executive branch.

The gangs, a phenomenon considered a legacy of the civil war (1980-1992) and strengthened by the deportation of gang members from the United States, have resisted the security plans implemented in the last four administrations.

With information from EFE