Bukele detains 85,000 amid crackdown on crime in El Salvador
- Nayib Bukele's government has detained 85,000 individuals under a continuous state of emergency in efforts to combat gang violence.
- The unprecedented number of detentions has raised serious human rights concerns, with reports of abuses and wrongful imprisonments.
- Bukele's partnership with the Trump administration is framed as a model for cooperation, despite the critiques of authoritarianism.
In El Salvador, President Nayib Bukele has implemented strict measures to combat gang-related violence, declaring a state of emergency in March 2022. This decision has allowed for the arrest of approximately 85,000 individuals, though only around 1,000 have been formally convicted of crimes. The state of emergency has raised significant human rights concerns as it has led to widespread detentions, reported torture, and ill-treatment of detainees, prompting criticism from various human rights organizations. Bukele's administration has been characterized as increasingly authoritarian, drawing both domestic and international scrutiny. Despite the alarming human rights record, Bukele enjoys a favorable relationship with the Trump administration, which sees this partnership as a model for cooperation in Central America. The White House has lauded Bukele's approach to reducing homicide rates, which reportedly fell dramatically in recent years, making El Salvador safer and more attractive for tourism and investment. Leading up to his visit to Washington D.C., Bukele expressed a desire to further solidify ties with the U.S., including the utilization of El Salvador's supermax prison for the deportation of gang members from the United States. The cooperation between El Salvador and the Trump administration is perceived as mutually beneficial, allowing for a reduction in U.S. housing costs for inmates while providing Bukele with financial incentives to accept deportees. Despite the evolving dynamics of international relations, Bukele’s strategies for maintaining public order raise questions about their long-term implications for democratic governance, civil liberties, and human rights adherence in El Salvador. The meeting with President Trump in April 2025 highlighted the ongoing complicated relationship between the two leaders, emphasizing their shared commitment to tackling organized crime while drawing attention to the increasing authoritarianism in Bukele's governance.