El Salvador's Brutal Anti-Gang Crackdown: NGOs Report One Person Missing Daily

El Salvador, a small Central American nation, is witnessing an alarming trend of disappearances amidst a controversial crackdown on criminal gangs led by its government. This reality was unveiled by a group of non-governmental organizations, which reported that, on average, one person goes missing each day in the country. This dire situation is substantiated by data obtained from the attorney general's office, which counted 366 cases of missing persons in the 12 months leading up to May 31 this year, as reported by the Working Group for Missing Persons in El Salvador, an association comprised of nine NGOs.

Government's Stance and President Bukele's Measures

While the NGOs shed light on the rising numbers of missing individuals, the El Salvador government has been quick to emphasize that the country has experienced over 650 days without reported homicides since President Nayib Bukele assumed office in June 2019. In March 2022, Bukele implemented a state of emergency, legitimizing the suspension of certain civil rights, the mass trial of suspicious individuals , and the construction of a “mega-prison.” This aggressive approach to crime suppression garnered significant public support, leading to Bukele's re-election with a staggering 85% of the vote in February. However, this surge in popularity has been accompanied by reports from human rights groups highlighting concerning cases of deaths in custody, as well as allegations of arbitrary detention, torture, and abuse of children.

Impact on Missing Persons Cases

The member of the NGO association, Idalia Zepeda, expressed grave concerns, indicating that the reported 366 missing people in the past year signifies a near 10% increase compared to estimates provided by the United Nations and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) for the preceding year. In response to this pressing issue, the NGOs have initiated a portal enabling citizens to register cases of missing persons online. This move aims to enhance the measurement of the extent of the problem and offer support to the families of the victims.

Challenging Government Transparency and Accountability

The NGOs have advocated for the government to play an active role in providing reliable information to the public and have expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of transparency from government human rights commissioner Andres Guzman, particularly concerning the issue of missing persons. Despite attempts to seek comments from Guzman's office and the attorney general's office, there has been no immediate response.