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Salvadoran Salvation

Short answer: El Salvador recorded 6,656 homicides in 2015, a rate of about 105 per 100,000 and among the highest in the world. The Attorney General's office reported 114 for 2024.

Since March 2022 a state of exception has suspended some constitutional rights, and more than 83,000 people were detained by late 2024. The government credits the crackdown for the fall. Analysts say the official count now excludes some categories of deaths, and the IACHR and Amnesty International report arbitrary detentions and deaths in custody.

VideoWrite-up5 sources
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What should you know about Salvadoran Salvation?

Quick facts. Each one stands alone and has a stable ID you can cite.

  1. El Salvador's homicide rate peaked at about 105 per 100,000 in 2015.

    DD-751-F01 · Write-up · Exhibit A (From the world's highest)

  2. The state of exception begun in March 2022 had been extended 33 times by December 2024.

    DD-751-F02 · Write-up · Exhibit C (The crackdown)

Video transcript: Salvadoran Salvation: El Salvador's Official Homicide Count Fell From Thousands to 114

DID YOU KNOW? El Salvador has recently undergone dramatic reductions in violent crime, transforming daily life across the country. In 2015, the nation recorded more than 6,000 homicides, but by 2024 that figure had fallen to 114, according to official statistics. The government launched a sweeping crackdown on criminal gangs, allowing residents to reclaim neighborhoods, parks, and public spaces. NOW YOU KNOW!

Burned-in captions, read frame by frame (see transcript.md) · 23.2s Reel ·

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Salvadoran Salvation: El Salvador's Official Homicide Count Fell From Thousands to 114 Instagram Reel · · 23.2s

The write-up

El Salvador's official homicide count fell from thousands to 114. The drop is real; how it's counted, and its human-rights cost, are disputed.

  1. Exhibit A

    From the world's highest

    In 2015 and 2016, El Salvador recorded more homicides per capita than any other country, peaking at about 105 per 100,000 people in 2015. The rate had fallen to about 53 by the end of the Sánchez Cerén presidency, after a 2016 gang non-aggression pact, and to about 18 by 2021.

  2. Exhibit B

    The 2024 figure

    The Attorney General reported 114 intentional homicides for 2024, while the National Civil Police's daily tally came to 106. Both are the lowest figures in at least a decade.

  3. Exhibit C

    The crackdown

    After at least 92 killings over March 24 to 27, 2022, the Legislative Assembly approved a state of exception that suspends several constitutional guarantees. It had been extended 33 times by December 2024, and the security cabinet reported about 83,100 people detained. The government attributes the drop in homicides largely to this measure.

  4. Exhibit D

    Counting disputes

    Since 2021 the official count has not followed the regional Bogotá Protocol. It excludes remains found in clandestine graves, people killed in confrontations with security forces, and deaths in prison. An analysis cited by Foreign Policy estimated this undercounted 2023 homicides by up to 47%.

  5. Exhibit E

    Human-rights concerns

    Amnesty International documented arrests based on quotas, anonymous tips or tattoos, as well as mass trials and deaths in state custody. It reported that about 1.8% of the population is incarcerated. The IACHR acknowledged the security gains but said the improvements themselves undercut the case for keeping rights suspended.

Questions people ask about Salvadoran Salvation

How many homicides did El Salvador record in 2015?

6,656, a rate of about 105 per 100,000.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (From the world's highest) · Foreign Policy (2024): El Salvador Has Undercounted Homicides Under Bukele

Which office reported 114 homicides for 2024?

The Attorney General reported 114; the police tally was 106.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (The 2024 figure) · El Salvador Now (2025): 2024 homicide figures don't match between Police and Prosecutor's Office; El Diario de Hoy (2024): Finaliza 2024 con la tasa más baja de homicidios en los últimos diez años

When did El Salvador's state of exception begin?

It began in March 2022 after a weekend of gang killings.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (The crackdown) · IACHR (2024): State of Emergency and Human Rights in El Salvador; El Salvador Now (2025): 2024 homicide figures don't match between Police and Prosecutor's Office

Which category does the current official count exclude?

It also excludes remains in clandestine graves and deaths in prison.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Counting disputes) · El Diario de Hoy (2024): Finaliza 2024 con la tasa más baja de homicidios en los últimos diez años; Foreign Policy (2024): El Salvador Has Undercounted Homicides Under Bukele

Roughly what share of the population is incarcerated, per Amnesty?

Amnesty cites about 1.8%, the highest rate in the Americas.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Human-rights concerns) · Amnesty International (2024): El Salvador, a thousand days into the state of emergency; IACHR (2024): State of Emergency and Human Rights in El Salvador

Test Your Knowledge

All quizzes →

5 questions, all from this case file. Answers are revealed instantly.

  1. How many homicides did El Salvador record in 2015?

    1. About 600
    2. 6,656
    3. 16,000
    4. 114
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. 6,656 6,656, a rate of about 105 per 100,000. Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (From the world's highest) · Foreign Policy (2024): El Salvador Has Undercounted Homicides Under Bukele

  2. Which office reported 114 homicides for 2024?

    1. The UN
    2. The Attorney General's office
    3. Amnesty International
    4. The World Bank
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. The Attorney General's office The Attorney General reported 114; the police tally was 106. Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (The 2024 figure) · El Salvador Now (2025): 2024 homicide figures don't match between Police and Prosecutor's Office; El Diario de Hoy (2024): Finaliza 2024 con la tasa más baja de homicidios en los últimos diez años

  3. When did El Salvador's state of exception begin?

    1. 2015
    2. 2019
    3. March 2022
    4. 2024
    Show the answer

    Answer: C. March 2022 It began in March 2022 after a weekend of gang killings. Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (The crackdown) · IACHR (2024): State of Emergency and Human Rights in El Salvador; El Salvador Now (2025): 2024 homicide figures don't match between Police and Prosecutor's Office

  4. Which category does the current official count exclude?

    1. Deaths in confrontations with security forces
    2. Deaths of women
    3. Deaths in cities
    4. Firearm deaths
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Deaths in confrontations with security forces It also excludes remains in clandestine graves and deaths in prison. Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Counting disputes) · El Diario de Hoy (2024): Finaliza 2024 con la tasa más baja de homicidios en los últimos diez años; Foreign Policy (2024): El Salvador Has Undercounted Homicides Under Bukele

  5. Roughly what share of the population is incarcerated, per Amnesty?

    1. 0.1%
    2. 1.8%
    3. 10%
    4. 25%
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. 1.8% Amnesty cites about 1.8%, the highest rate in the Americas. Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Human-rights concerns) · Amnesty International (2024): El Salvador, a thousand days into the state of emergency; IACHR (2024): State of Emergency and Human Rights in El Salvador

Cite this case file

Easterling, Marcus. "Salvadoran Salvation." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-751, last updated Oct 16, 2026. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/salvadoran-salvation/

Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/salvadoran-salvation/ · Last updated

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