El Salvador reports zero homicides amid ongoing state of exception

El Salvador continues to report significant shifts in its security landscape under the current state of exception. According to the National Civil Police (PNC), the country recorded zero homicides on September 3, 2026. Since the implementation of the state of exception on March 27, 2022, the nation has accumulated 1,197 days without a recorded homicide.

Data indicates a sharp decline in homicide rates, dropping from 35.8 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2019 to an average of 1.3 per 100,000 in 2025. Security Minister Gustavo Villatoro stated that the regime provides a firm state that protects life, property, and freedom. The administration's Territorial Control Plan has resulted in the capture of over 93,000 gang members.

While many citizens report increased safety and improved daily life in former gang-controlled areas, the measures have drawn international scrutiny. El Salvador now holds the highest incarceration rate in the world, with approximately 2.5% of the adult population in prison. Critics and observers have raised concerns regarding the suspension of constitutional guarantees, the concentration of power under President Nayib Bukele, and allegations of persecution against journalists and activists.