Since declaring a state of emergency in March 2022 following a surge in gang violence, El Salvador's government has instituted a state of exception — a policy that temporarily loosens arrest rules and suspends basic rights, including free speech and protest rights — in an effort to crack down on the country's violent gangs.
The policy has garnered popularity for Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, helping to guarantee him a win in Sunday's election. It has also made the country much safer for many residents, who can now move around freely in neighborhoods previously controlled by gangs. The murder rate has plummeted from 53 per 100,000 people in 2018, one of the highest in the world, to one of the lowest in the region, at 2.4 per 100,000 last year.
