El Salvador Keeps the Turnaround Going

Thus far in 2024, El Salvador has reported lower homicide numbers than last year; as of May 26, 2024, the country’s homicide rate stands at 0.35 per day or 2.0 homicides per every 100,000 inhabitants. Furthermore, thus far this year, El Salvador has achieved 105 days with zero homicides.

In 2023, El Salvador’s Homicide Rate was 0.42 per day or 2.4 murders per 100,000 inhabitants, a decrease of 69% compared to 2022, resulting in 342 fewer murders, a remarkable transformation since 2015, when El Salvador earned the infamous label of “the murder capital of the world.”

Based on the number of homicides and days without murders, 2023 is by far the safest year in El Salvador since 1992, the end of the civil war. The safety trend is continuing in 2024.

Between January 1 and May 26, 2024, the Salvadoran National Police reported 52 homicides for a 0.35 daily rate. It is four less than the 56 recorded in the same 2023 period. At the current rate, El Salvador could close 2024 with 129 homicides, for a rate of 2.0 homicides per every 100,000 inhabitants.