was orchestrated by the Central American country’s authoritarian-minded president, Nayib Bukele, in late March after a sudden eruption of bloodshed that saw 87 murders in a single weekend., with pro-government lawmakers approving a draconian state of exception which entered its third month last week. This week, Bukele’s security minister, Gustavo Villatoro, claimed 36,277 people had been detained since their “war on gangs” began: 32,163 men and 5,114 women.
Independent polls suggest many of El Salvador’s 6 million citizens agree, with Bukele’s already sky-high approval ratings rising since the state of emergency was imposed. had been imposed on many parts of Latin America over the years, from El Salvador and Mexico to Brazil and Colombia, with “perverse” results.
Propaganda billboards dotting El Salvador’s streets and motorways urge passersby to snitch on suspected criminals by calling an anonymous hotline. “We need your help to continue capturing terrorists,” they read.