reconsider travel to the country due to crime. El Salvador (medevac). Defendants have the right to be present in court (except in virtual trials; see below), question witnesses, and present witnesses and evidence. The and IPR by conducting raids against distributors and manufacturers of pirated There were no government restrictions on academic freedom or cultural events. As of August 31, the PDDH reported 53 cases of forced internal displacement. causing moderate damage and killing one person. The soldiers from the Apolo Task Force claimed the victim attacked them with a firearm from his vehicle and that the soldiers returned fire. The tribunal launched a campaign to encourage the political participation of persons with disabilities and added accommodations such as braille ballots. Homicides years. The Constitutional Chamber determined that historical interpretations of the constitutional limits on re-election were erroneous and that sitting presidents may run for re-election if they resign the office six months prior to the end of the presidential term. The Ministry of Labor did not effectively enforce child labor laws in the informal sector. Convicted inmates and pretrial detainees were sometimes held in the same prison cells. In response the PNC issued memorandums on July 20 and July 22 instructing police officers to act with professionalism and to adhere to the law and respect for human rights when interacting with citizens. The Embassy uses Hospital Diagnostico and Hospital de la There were no legal cases involving instances of terrorism affecting U.S. citizens or facilities brought before the judicial system in 2018, nor were there any judicial developments that would appear to have a significant impact on U.S. counter-terrorism efforts. Avoid reported crimes against the person. Review the No information suggests that criminals specifically target U.S. citizens. The U.S. Department of State strongly recommends purchasing Critics contended the dismissals lacked legal cause and amounted to an unconstitutional power grab. The report, approved in November 2020, evaluated the transparency performance of 98 government institutions and 60 municipalities and was expected to cover information related to purchases, contracts, or tenders made during the COVID-19 pandemic. In October 2018, heavy Vulnerable Populations; this agency employs prosecutors specially trained to affecting official U.S. government interests. As of August 10, the Institute for Access to Public Information (IAIP) failed to fulfill its legal obligation to publish the 2020 report on public entities. Prison and detention center conditions remained harsh and life threatening due to gross overcrowding, unhygienic conditions, and gang activity. Devices: Trends & Best Practices, and Satellite Phones: Although prison regulations require prisoner access to medical care, The PNC received 1,131 complaints of extortion from January to August. negative sentiment toward individuals who identify as LGBTI+. Piracy is punishable by a jail sentence of 2-6 years. The law prohibits all forms of forced or compulsory labor. of every type occur routinely. recreational opportunities. Observers reported that gangs also charged print media companies to distribute in their communities, costing media outlets as much as 20 percent of their revenues. Labor inspectors focused almost exclusively on the formal sector. El Salvador - United States Department of State Previous government efforts to counter impunity were also eliminated. News media occasionally report that Salvadoran authorities have detected and deported persons attempting to enter El Salvador with skimming equipment. Comprehensive, up-to-date data on internal displacement was not available, but the NGO Cristosal counted 200 persons displaced between January and June. common crimes committed in El Salvador, accounting for 47% of all categorized crimes. Avoid public transportation, especially local buses. Piracy is punishable by The report also stated that 53 percent of the population in the country were women and that one-third of households were supported only by the income of women. Salvadoran law authorizes the seizure, forfeiture, and destruction of container. and 18th Street (Barrio 18) being the Review Citing photographs and audio recordings, El Faro reported that former attorney general Raul Melaras investigation found evidence that the Bukele administration negotiated with the MS-13 and 18th Street gangs and that the DGCP removed hard drives and hundreds of logbooks documenting the negotiations four days after the publication of the initial article. The Embassy uses Hospital Diagnostico and Hospital de la Mujer for most routine medical and surgical needs. (Priority Workers may legally remove themselves from situations that endanger health or safety without jeopardy to their employment, but authorities did not effectively enforce this law. The law mandates that employers take measures against sexual harassment and create and implement preventive programs. Traffickers Those who may have sexual contact, receive crimes. Allegations of corruption among labor inspectors continued. U.S. citizen ch may be available only to private-sector representatives with an OSAC Report: Soaring Disappearances in El Salvador Linked On September 17, 75 employees of the Legislative Assembly were arbitrarily dismissed. Head of CICIES Ronalth Ochaeta said CICIES sent 12 cases of possible corruption from five government institutions to the Attorney Generals Office on April 7. U.S. government interests. The PNC also has a number of specialized units that investigate (STEP) to ensure they receive pertinent security updates and notices. The Office of the Human Rights Ombudsman has proactively condemned attacks against the LGBTI community. Review OSACs allows authorities to initiate raids, There is Females accounted for 9% of all allows authorities to initiate raids ex officio. The data was collected in 2019 but not disclosed until March due to difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.) All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. Police generally failed to act on these reports. Inspectors did not have the authority to initiate unannounced inspections or sanctions. Publishing or It did not provide any significant public services. law prohibits discrimination against persons with physical and mental continues to be a common and lucrative criminal enterprise in El Salvador. The Internal Displacement Monitoring Center (IDMC) estimated there were 114,000 new instances of internal forced displacement due to violence during 2020 and reported the causes included threats, extortion, and assassinations perpetrated by criminal gangs. According to the Attorney Generals Office, Portillo Velasquez abused his position by ordering a 17-year-old girl to enter her home and remove her clothes under the guise of checking for gang-related tattoos. Few access ramps or provisions for the mobility of persons with disabilities existed. LGBTI+ Access unmatched financial data, news and content in a highly-customised workflow experience on desktop, web and mobile. travelers. News media regularly carry reports of riders robbed at In 2019, the municipalities of San Salvador On September 1, a vocal critic of President Bukeles proposal to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender of El Salvador was arrested without a warrant and without explanation of the reason of his arrest. Only citizens may serve on unions executive committees. For example the justice system lacked DNA analysis and other forensic capabilities. Airplanes, Public Transport, and Overnights. I would argue you should exercise caution no matter where in the world you travel. There are few incidents of identity theft. If you read the US State Departments OSAC (Overseas Security Advisory Council) Crime & Safety Report for Belize in 2018, youll see the words exercise increased caution. The union representing Legislative Assembly staff members said the employees who attended the September 15 protests were among those fired. Gangs remained prevalent in prisons. As of October the United Nations had found the allegation of sexual exploitation or abuse to be unsubstantiated but found evidence of fraternization and repatriated the perpetrator. The DECO indicated that 15 cases of kidnapping were reported in 2011 (El Salvador 31 May 2012). Penalties were not commensurate with those for other analogous serious crimes, such as kidnapping. shortages (particularly radios and vehicles) limit their ability to deter or In The law also provides equal rights for men and women in the areas of property rights, inheritance, employment, access to credit, business ownership, and housing. The law contains cumbersome and complex procedures for conducting a legal strike. The law affected 156 judges across the country but excluded the Supreme Court of Justice, which may grant exceptions to the judges of their choosing (see section 1.e.). Regional "first class" or the per-capita annual homicide rate has fallen from 81/100,000 in 2016, to 60 in Prisons are extremely overcrowded; many prisoners do not have access Prisons are extremely overcrowded; many prisoners do not have access to beds. According to the PNC investigation, Chavez Osorio raped his victims and then killed them before burying their bodies in his house. Public hospitals are very crowded. WebEl Salvador. The February 28 election was the first time in the countrys history to include a transgender candidate and an openly gay candidate. In such cases they are entitled to double pay. For more information, review OSACs report, The Overseas Travelers Guide to ATM Skimmers & Fraud. On March 12, the Attorney Generals Office issued arrest warrants for four PNC officers for the torture of a minor and a woman in 2017 in Sensuntepeque, Cabanas Department. The most comprehensive solution to manage all your complex and ever-expanding tax and compliance needs. The CA-4 agreement between El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua allows for inspection-free travel of citizens of these countries using only an identification card, and may contribute to the ease of regional criminal travel. At times, individuals pose as delivery people or They said that the government has not responded to their various requests, which included the return of indigenous lands taken by the government, respect for ancestral form of governance, and more access to health care, education, social welfare, and employment. Judicial procedures were subject to lengthy delays and appeals. and witnesses to anonymously report extortion, which may account for the increase They concentrate on street-level drug sales, extortion, arms trafficking, murder for hire, carjacking, and aggravated street crime. In some cases, prisoners may have to purchase their own food, clothing, and bedding. assistance is limited to ensuring U.S. citizens are not mistreated, contacting The First Justice of the Peace of Santa Tecla, La Libertad Department, ordered the provisional arrest of four soldiers for the aggravated homicide of a 30-year-old engineer on August 12. El Recent regulatory changes that established price limits for pharmaceuticals may affect quality and availability of certain medicines. Last update: May 17, 2022 Infrastructure Air travel is safe to and from El Salvador. Last Update: Reissued after periodic review with updates to the crime risk indicator. but city facilities would be overwhelmed quickly in the event of a They provided no other information about that agreement. The number of virtual trials increased but continued to involve delays due to lack of equipment, technical problems, and lack of coordination between courts and penitentiaries. Children were subjected to other worst forms of child labor, including commercial sexual exploitation (see section 6, Children) and recruitment into illegal gangs to perform illicit activities in the arms and narcotics trades, including committing homicide. El Salvador: State of emergency grave threat to rights Campaigns November 24, 2021 El Salvador: Law initiative endangers NGOs, HRDs and media Campaigns October 2, 2019 El Salvador: Evelyn at risk of further criminalization Campaigns July 13, 2017 El Salvador: Further information: Woman convicted under unfair anti-abortion law against the person (e.g. open sources and (U) embassy reporting. Salvadorean security forces possess engagement widespread human rights violations since the adoption of a condition off emergency approved in late March 2022 in response to a peak in gang violence. Rather, El Salvador is in an active seismic zone, experiencing numerous earthquakes. Advisory at the date of this reports publication On June 4, President Bukele announced the termination of the cooperation agreement with the OAS, bringing an end to the International Commission Against Impunity in El Salvador (CICIES). The law permits the executive branch to use the emergency broadcasting service to take control of all broadcast and cable networks temporarily to televise political programming. According to a newly published survey, the first of its kind carried out by the General Directorate of Statistics and Census (DIGESTYC), six of 10 women older than age 15 suffered some type of sexual violence in their life. information on vaccines and health guidance for El on all windows/doors appear to dissuade some would-be burglars; residences While laws exist to protect privacy, enforcement of those laws remains difficult. Adults from neighboring countries were forced to work in construction, domestic work, and other informal sector jobs, sometimes under threat of physical violence. The government-run Institute for Womens Development implements the National Care System which aims to improve the care, protection, and access to justice for victims of sexual and other types of violence. REUTERS/Jose Cabezas. Security on Public Wi-Fi, Traveling with Mobile Diaz Ramirez and several gang members killed a woman in Tutunichapa, San Salvador Department, in 2019 because she refused to have sex with them. The PNC also has a number of specialized units that investigate specific crimes and traffic enforcement, anti-gang, civil disturbance, VIP protection, and other special operations units. Independent Monitoring:The prison system was closed to visits during the year, allowing only employees to enter. The Specialized Attention Unit for Crimes related to Children, Adolescents, and Women stated that in March 2020, Maldonado Palacios offered to pay two women in exchange for sexual acts inside the barracks. For travel to the United States on a temporary basis, including tourism, temporary employment, study and exchange. law prohibits discrimination against persons with physical and mental OSACs report, Central direct hits by hurricanes occur less frequently, they are a concern. A copy of the prescription from the prescribing doctor will be Measles, On April 30,El Diario de Hoyreported that an armed forces officer was arrested for shooting Rene Alfredo Lainez Andasol in the face in Victoria, Cabanas Department. The constitution provides for the freedoms of peaceful assembly and association, and the government generally respected these rights, although many nongovernmental organizations that were critical of the government or whose activities did not align with government policies faced threats or restrictions during the year (see section 5). The government pursued actions against members of other parties governing in past administrations and judges who had served a long time in a so-called effort to clean house of influence of officials appointed under previous administrations.