Our citizens’ security is El Salvador’s top priority — and we’re succeeding | Opinion

Complying with the basic principle of citizen security is one of the fundamental principles of governments in the Americas. In El Salvador, we have taken the defense of our citizens’ human rights and security to levels never before seen in my country, let alone in the rest of the hemisphere.

This week, the Organization of American States General Assembly is convening in Washington, D.C. While there, I will highlight El Salvador’s progress under President Nayib Bukele’s leadership and how we have given back to the citizens the peace of mind to go about their lives without thinking about their safety.

El Salvador is experiencing an extraordinary and historic transformation. Under the president, the country’s improvement has been remarkable, with clear and tangible results — all for the better.

Under a justice and security policy, the Territorial Control Plan, we have reduced the annual homicide rate from 103 per 100,000 residents in 2015 to seven per 100,000 in 2022. Thus far in 2023, the number is less than two per 100,000. El Salvador has now become the safest country in the Americas.

Simply put, in less than four years, the security cabinet has identified and dismantled organized-crime structures, with the capture of members of all levels of the their hierarchy, recovering territorial control of places historically besieged by gangs and enhancing greater security in all communities all over the country.

The prevailing narrative, propagated by international human-rights organizations, some governments, civil-society groups and the media, is a distorted version of the truth regarding our country’s achievements. Instead of recognizing our successes, they have portrayed those who once terrorized our nation as victims, while criminalizing our efforts to restore order and security.

This couldn’t be further from the truth. The current state of affairs in El Salvador speaks for itself, with the peace, security and hope that now permeate our society, a testament to our achievements. These false and baseless voices eventually will be silenced by the overwhelming evidence of our success.

Official records show more than 380 days without homicides since the beginning of the Territorial Control Plan and more than 75 days without homicides in 2023. The impunity rate for the crime of homicide went from 95% in 2019 to 25% in 2022. In 2023 so far, there has been an average of 0.41 homicides per day.

Recently, I had the opportunity to engage with my Singaporean counterpart. I learned that the country’s success can largely be attributed to the visionary leadership of Lee Kuan Yew, the first prime minister of Singapore, between 1959 and 1990, who was instrumental in transforming Singapore from a struggling port city to a prosperous and modern nation with a thriving economy and a high standard of living. El Salvador is on this same path.

In 2024, El Salvador is set to hold its most democratic election in history, as citizens residing within and outside the country will be granted the opportunity to vote for their constitutional authorities.

El Salvador’s citizens recognize our success. They overwhelmingly approve of the president’s work by over 90%, including the measures on the security plans. A recent study by the International Organization for Migration shows that over 60% of the diaspora in the United States want to return, and over 18% of them have concrete plans to do so, thanks for the security, economic policies and stability our government has established.

Florida’s Sen. Marco Rubio recently visited El Salvador. He saw firsthand the remarkable results of the dedicated efforts of President Bukele and his team over the past four years.

Observing the situation from a distance is an entirely different experience than visiting and seeing for oneself that, after more than half a century of strife and turmoil, the Salvadoran people finally are living in peace.

El Salvador is now on the path of sustainable development, social and economic progress and political stability. El Salvador is open to the world.

Everyone is invited to be part of our success. This is all possible because basic human rights are finally being respected, and citizen security is President Bukele’s top priority.

Alexandra Hill Tinoco is El Salvador’s foreign minister.