El Salvador has endured decades of terror at the hands of powerful gangs like MS-13 and Barrio 18, whose brutality plunged the nation into chaos. These criminal organizations extorted businesses, controlled neighborhoods, and committed acts of unspeakable violence, including the initiation of new members through the killing of babies—a ritual designed to cement their loyalty with maximum horror. In response, President Nayib Bukele launched a controversial militarized strategy to restore order. While critics decry human rights abuses and authoritarianism, the dramatic drop in violence suggests this approach was not just necessary but a transformative lifeline for a nation on the brink.
The Scale of the Crisis: A Nation Under Siege
Before Bukele’s rise, El Salvador was a global epicenter of violence, with a homicide rate peaking at 103 per 100,000 people in 2015—among the highest worldwide (UNODC, 2016). Gangs ruled entire communities with impunity, extorting residents and businesses while terrorizing the population. The crisis reached a grotesque peak with reports of gang initiation rituals requiring recruits to kill babies, often abducted from vulnerable families, to prove their ruthlessness. This level of barbarism overwhelmed traditional policing, which lacked the resources and authority to dismantle these entrenched networks, leaving the government with no viable alternative but a radical response.
Before Bukele’s rise, El Salvador was a global epicenter of violence, with a homicide rate peaking at 103 per 100,000 people in 2015—among the highest worldwide (UNODC, 2016). Gangs ruled entire communities with impunity, extorting residents and businesses while terrorizing the population. The crisis reached a grotesque peak with reports of gang initiation rituals requiring recruits to kill babies, often abducted from vulnerable families, to prove their ruthlessness. This level of barbarism overwhelmed traditional policing, which lacked the resources and authority to dismantle these entrenched networks, leaving the government with no viable alternative but a radical response.
The Militarized Strategy: A Forceful Counterattack
Bukele’s plan deployed over 10,000 soldiers alongside police to target gang strongholds, enforce curfews, and conduct mass arrests—totaling more than 75,000 detentions since 2022 (El Salvador Government, 2024). A state of emergency suspended certain constitutional rights, such as due process, to expedite the crackdown. Critics, including Amnesty International, have called these measures draconian, citing reports of arbitrary detentions and alleged torture. Yet supporters argue that confronting gangs who killed babies and waged war on society required extraordinary measures, with Bukele framing it as a “war for survival” that traditional methods could never win.
Bukele’s plan deployed over 10,000 soldiers alongside police to target gang strongholds, enforce curfews, and conduct mass arrests—totaling more than 75,000 detentions since 2022 (El Salvador Government, 2024). A state of emergency suspended certain constitutional rights, such as due process, to expedite the crackdown. Critics, including Amnesty International, have called these measures draconian, citing reports of arbitrary detentions and alleged torture. Yet supporters argue that confronting gangs who killed babies and waged war on society required extraordinary measures, with Bukele framing it as a “war for survival” that traditional methods could never win.
The Results: A Nation Reborn
The impact has been staggering:
The impact has been staggering:
- Homicide Decline: By 2023, the homicide rate fell to 2.4 per 100,000—the lowest in a century—down from 103 in 2015 (IISS, 2024).
- Economic Revival: With gang extortion reduced, business confidence soared, with foreign investment rising 15% in 2023 (World Bank, 2024), and unemployment dropping from 7.2% to 5.8% (INE, 2024).
- Public Support: A 2023 CID Gallup poll found 85% of Salvadorans approved of Bukele’s security policies, reflecting widespread relief from gang terror, including the baby-killing rituals that once haunted communities.
This turnaround has given citizens a chance to reclaim their streets, a stark contrast to the gang-dominated past.
Addressing Criticism: Balancing Security and Rights
The militarized approach has not been without cost. Human rights groups document over 200 alleged extrajudicial killings and thousands of wrongful detentions since 2022 (Human Rights Watch, 2024), raising alarms about due process and potential authoritarian drift. International media, often critical of Bukele, amplify these concerns, sometimes overshadowing the gang’s own atrocities—like the baby killings—echoing the selective outrage seen in U.S. media narratives (e.g., J6 vs. BLM). Supporters counter that the state’s actions, while harsh, pale in comparison to the 6,656 homicides linked to gangs in 2015 alone (El Salvador Police, 2016). Bukele’s administration promises to phase out emergency measures as stability solidifies, aiming to restore democratic norms.
The militarized approach has not been without cost. Human rights groups document over 200 alleged extrajudicial killings and thousands of wrongful detentions since 2022 (Human Rights Watch, 2024), raising alarms about due process and potential authoritarian drift. International media, often critical of Bukele, amplify these concerns, sometimes overshadowing the gang’s own atrocities—like the baby killings—echoing the selective outrage seen in U.S. media narratives (e.g., J6 vs. BLM). Supporters counter that the state’s actions, while harsh, pale in comparison to the 6,656 homicides linked to gangs in 2015 alone (El Salvador Police, 2016). Bukele’s administration promises to phase out emergency measures as stability solidifies, aiming to restore democratic norms.
Lessons for Other Nations: A Model with Caveats
El Salvador’s success offers lessons for nations battling organized crime, such as Honduras or Mexico. Militarized responses can break gang strongholds when conventional policing fails, but the baby-killing rituals highlight the depth of evil that necessitated such force. The challenge lies in pairing security with reforms—addressing poverty (where 29% of Salvadorans live below the poverty line, World Bank 2023) and education gaps—to prevent crime’s resurgence. Over-reliance on military tactics without these reforms risks creating a new cycle of instability.
El Salvador’s success offers lessons for nations battling organized crime, such as Honduras or Mexico. Militarized responses can break gang strongholds when conventional policing fails, but the baby-killing rituals highlight the depth of evil that necessitated such force. The challenge lies in pairing security with reforms—addressing poverty (where 29% of Salvadorans live below the poverty line, World Bank 2023) and education gaps—to prevent crime’s resurgence. Over-reliance on military tactics without these reforms risks creating a new cycle of instability.
Conclusion
El Salvador’s militarized response was a bold, controversial gamble against a crisis where gangs resorted to killing babies to build their ranks. The results—near-elimination of homicides, economic recovery, and public approval—validate its necessity, despite human rights trade-offs. As the nation stabilizes, the focus must shift to sustainable reforms and restoring democratic balance. El Salvador’s story underscores that decisive action can triumph over barbarism, but only with careful stewardship to preserve the democracy it fought to save. Quite possibly one of the reasons Ecuador's election turned out the way it did, was because people see the benefits of a more "right wing" government, vs the Left's perpetual failures
El Salvador’s militarized response was a bold, controversial gamble against a crisis where gangs resorted to killing babies to build their ranks. The results—near-elimination of homicides, economic recovery, and public approval—validate its necessity, despite human rights trade-offs. As the nation stabilizes, the focus must shift to sustainable reforms and restoring democratic balance. El Salvador’s story underscores that decisive action can triumph over barbarism, but only with careful stewardship to preserve the democracy it fought to save. Quite possibly one of the reasons Ecuador's election turned out the way it did, was because people see the benefits of a more "right wing" government, vs the Left's perpetual failures
