Four Years of Ongoing Human Rights Violations in El Salvador and the Erosion of Democracy

The Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA) firmly and deeply condemns the indefinite extension of the state of exception in El Salvador, a measure that–far from being temporary–has become a permanent security policy based on the suspension of fundamental rights and the systematic weakening of the rule of law.

Since its implementation in March 2022, the regime has led to the mass detention of more than 91,000 people, many of them without warrants or sufficient evidence, in a context of serious violations of due process. Both national and international organizations have documented consistent patterns of arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, torture, and cruel treatment, as well as the use of collective judicial proceedings that make an effective individual defense impossible.

WOLA warns that El Salvador’s justice system is in a critical state. Legal reforms have allowed people to remain incarcerated for years without trial, while prosecutors and public defenders face unsustainable caseloads, eroding any guarantee of impartial justice. This institutional deterioration has eliminated democratic checks and balances and consolidated punitive power without effective oversight.

Particularly alarming is the rising number of deaths in state custody. Recent reports estimate at least 482 deaths in prisons during the state of exception, many of them under violent circumstances or due to lack of medical care. This reflects a humanitarian crisis within the prison system. These deaths–the vast majority of which have not been investigated–demonstrate the state’s inability, or unwillingness, to guarantee the right to life of those in its custody.

Likewise, WOLA condemns the climate of repression against critical voices, including journalists, human rights defenders, and civil society organizations, who have faced judicial persecution, detentions, and forced exile. This restrictive environment severely limits civic space and undermines the basic principles of a democratic society.

In this context, WOLA rejects the constitutional reforms promoted by the government of President Nayib Bukele, including those that allow indefinite reelection and introduce life imprisonment. These measures dangerously concentrate power and deepen the erosion of the constitutional order, further weakening the essential checks and balances of a democracy.

The institutionalization of a security model based on extreme punishment, without judicial safeguards or independent oversight, poses a serious threat to human rights and the rule of law and sets an alarming precedent in the region.

Finally, WOLA underscores the United States’ crucial role in this situation. Given the growing security cooperation between the two governments, it is imperative that the U.S. Congress exercise rigorous oversight over any agreements with El Salvador or assistance provided to it. Such oversight must ensure that cooperation does not–directly or indirectly–contribute to human rights violations and that it is conditional on respect for international standards, accountability, and the restoration of the rule of law.

WOLA urgently calls on the international community to demand an end to the state of exception, the restoration of constitutional guarantees, and the adoption of security policies that fully respect human rights.