He was fired from the National Police force 15 years ago after he was convicted of raping a woman and an underage girl, crimes for which he was sentenced to five years in jail, El Salvador's National Police Chief Mauricio Arriaza, said in a May 21 press conference. Public hospitals are very crowded. The families, some of whom had lived in Panchimalco for more than 40 years, feared their lives would be in danger after the gang threatened to hold the village responsible for the disappearance of a gang member. For more information, review OSACs Report, Security in Transit: Airplanes, Public Transport, and Overnights. Cameras, concertina wire, and grilles possible, with multiple-vehicle convoys for safety. Also see the Department of LaborsFindings on the Worst Forms of Child Laborathttps://www.dol.gov/agencies/ilab/resources/reports/child-labor/findings. The constitution recognizes indigenous peoples and states that the government will adopt policies to maintain and develop the ethnic and cultural identity, world view, values, and spirituality of indigenous peoples. According to the PDDH, many prisons had inadequate sanitation, potable water, ventilation, temperature control, medical care, and lighting. Orphans and children from poor families frequently worked as street vendors and general laborers in small businesses despite the presence of law enforcement officials. Most theft Build the strongest argument relying on authoritative content, attorney-editor expertise, and industry defining technology. Domestic court orders generally were enforced. treat arrested or otherwise detained foreigners well. for possession, use, or trafficking illegal drugs are strict; convicted Carry an adequate supply of any required medication in its original, clearly labeled container. Those who may have sexual contact, receive tattoos, or require medical treatment in El Salvador should receive the hepatitis B vaccine. Authorities did not always respect these legal rights and protections. Freedom of Expression for Members of the Press and Other Media, Including Online Media:Journalists from several digital and print media outlets publicly accused President Bukele, his administration, and his supporters of a pattern of harassment designed to constrain media. annual report produced in conjunction with the Regional Security Office at the The response time is often less than ideal because of heavy traffic in San Salvador. the per-capita annual homicide rate has fallen from 81/100,000 in 2016, to 60 in Collective bargaining is obligatory only if the union represents a majority of workers. in 2018; and 1,404 were recorded in 2019. U.S. Department of State. Of these cases, only seven resulted in convictions. El Salvador saw 59 women murdered in the first four months of 2021, a 27% increase from the same period a year earlier, the nonprofit Organization of Salvadoran Women for Peace said, citing data from the Institute of Forensic Medicine, an arm of the Supreme Court. "executive" commercial bus travel is generally safe, although services are more readily available in the capital city than in outlying areas, is a major contributing factor to traffic accident fatalities. police division to accompany their groups for personal security. CONAIPD reported employers frequently fired persons who acquired disabilities and would not consider persons with disabilities for work for which they qualified. The The Embassy uses Hospital Diagnostico and Hospital de la recreational opportunities. facilities brought before the judicial system in 2019, nor were there any demonstrations are peaceful, they can turn violent. Military personnel, national police, judges, and high-level public officers may not form or join unions. mechanical condition. areas alike, stray animals, unwary pedestrians and bicyclists, and numerous Alerts and Messages for U.S. visitors to El Salvador. Salvadoran law authorizes the seizure, forfeiture, and destruction of Measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, pertussis, and chickenpox are much more common than in the U.S., especially among children. They said that the government has not responded to their various requests, which included the return of indigenous lands taken by the government, respect for ancestral form of governance, and more access to health care, education, social welfare, and employment. companies. The law prohibits discrimination against persons with physical, sensory, intellectual, and mental disabilities, but the government did not enforce these laws. international health insurance before traveling internationally. The government provided annual training to military units to dissuade any potential for gross abuses of human rights, such as the training provided to the Marine Infantry Battalion by the navys Legal Unit on the need to respect human rights. The judiciary, due to the lack of familiarity with MS-13 a Transnational Criminal Organization in its list of Specially Designated stops or while on the bus. create security problems and impede traffic. On August 12, the DGCP again denied the PDDH access to prisons despite the Second Peace Court authorizing the PDDH entry to visit three former government officials in prison after receiving complaints from the officials relatives on their state of health. of crime should contact the police and the U.S. Embassy. There is As of August 10, the Institute for Access to Public Information (IAIP) failed to fulfill its legal obligation to publish the 2020 report on public entities. The data was collected in 2019 but not disclosed until March due to difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.) Homicides accounted for 14% of all reported crime incidents in El Salvador in 2018. There were no legal cases involving instances of terrorism affecting U.S. citizens or facilities brought before the judicial system in 2018, nor were there any judicial developments that would appear to have a significant impact on U.S. counter-terrorism efforts. They concentrate on street-level drug sales, extortion, arms trafficking, murder for hire, carjacking, and aggravated street crime. Critics contended the dismissals lacked legal cause and amounted to an unconstitutional power grab. Police generally treat arrested or otherwise detained foreigners well. The Organization of Salvadoran Women for Peace (ORMUSA) reported that the Ministry of Health registered 6,938 pregnant girls or adolescents in the first six months of the year, including 156 girls ages 10 and 11 who were raped and became pregnant. police in 2019, up 2% from 2018. The law classifies statutory rape as sexual relations with anyone younger than age 18 and includes penalties for conviction of four to 13 years imprisonment. Prison Directorate personnel failed to inform the family of the deceased in a timely manner. External links to other internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein. Equipment shortages (particularly radios and vehicles) limit their ability to deter or respond to crimes expeditiously. between the police, prosecutors, and corrections. The labor code does not cover public-sector workers and municipal workers, whose wages and terms of employment are regulated by the 1961 civil service law. In 2017, there were 1,244 deaths due to traffic accidents; 1,312 occurred U.S. government interests. El Embassy health professionals They committed killings and acts of extortion, kidnapping, human trafficking, intimidation, and other threats and violence. The Legislative Assembly used police to escort the dismissed employees out of their workplace. and Ethnic Violence. The victims told the authorities that Villegas touched their legs, breasts, and buttocks. the State Departments webpage on security for travelers A significant percentage of vehicles are in disrepair, underpowered, beyond their service life, or otherwise do not meet U.S. road safety standards. Review OSACs Many prisons El Salvador is party The government did not effectively enforce the laws on freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining, and penalties were not commensurate with those for other laws involving denials of civil rights, such as discrimination. Emergency services are more readily available in the capital city than in outlying areas, but city facilities would be overwhelmed quickly in the event of a mass-casualty incident. Crime can run the gamut from credit card skimming to homicide, and is characterized by violence directed against known targeted victims and targets of opportunity. El Salvador suffers a major earthquake approximately every ten Although the homicide rate has consistently declined since 2015's high of 103 per 100,000 inhabitants, El Salvador continues to have the highest homicide rate in Latin America. Despite the existence of these laws, the government has not taken enforcement actions against violators. Corruption:On August 23, El Faro followed up on its September 2020 story accusing the Bukele administration of negotiating with senior gang leaders since 2019 to obtain electoral support and a reduction in homicides prior to this years legislative and municipal elections. blind corners and over hills is common. According to the NGO Democracy, Transparency, and Justice Foundation, the new law seeks to retroactively protect government officials from misuse of public money for pandemic spending that occurred before the approval of the law. Webpebble hills high school news. Assistance brochure. The government did not adequately enforce these laws, and penalties were not commensurate with those for similar crimes, such as fraud. The increased villainization of the role of media inspired supporters of the president to threaten journalists as well. The government sets the minimum wage, which varies by sector. Factumsourced its article from a witness statement that detailed the names, dates, and modus operandi of 13 killings that occurred in Chalchuapa in 2020 and 2021, directly contradicting the governments claim that the homicides occurred more than a decade ago. and IPR by conducting raids against distributors and manufacturers of pirated Review America Natural Disaster Emergency Planning: OSAC Guidance and Resources. Women are frequent targets of abuse in a male-dominated culture, she said, and many of these crimes are never reported by victims or their families. offenders can expect lengthy jail sentences and fines. Interested private-sector security managers For more information, refer to OSACs report, Traveling with Medications. These zones, located throughout urban areas, including in upscale neighborhoods, provide a point of origin and safe haven for criminals. transiting the country in comparison with some regional neighbors, as well as More than 90% of 1,000 Salvadorans polled said they had little or no trust in government institutions, according to a 2020 survey by global corruption monitor Transparency International. allows authorities to initiate raids ex officio. Extortion Although the law prohibits discrimination based on HIV/AIDS status, Entre Amigos, an NGO that works on issues concerning LGBTQI+ persons, reported HIV-related discrimination was widespread. Privately Critics decried the ruling as an attack on democracy and pointed out that the Constitutional Chamber issuing the ruling was composed of five magistrates appointed by the Legislative Assembly on May 1 in a maneuver that was itself controversial. As a result PNC authorities typically delayed questioning until a public defender or an attorney arrived. In May 2019, a 6.6-magnitude Guide to ATM Skimmers & Fraud, Best Practices for Maximizing It is characterized by More to explore Page. As of October the United Nations had found the allegation of sexual exploitation or abuse to be unsubstantiated but found evidence of fraternization and repatriated the perpetrator. While laws Regional "first class" or Virtual trials often involved group hearings before a judge, with defense lawyers physically present in the courtroom but defendants appearing by video, unable to consult with their defense lawyers in real time. The country is considered both an unlikely sponsor of, and target for, cyber-attacks. The penalty for conviction of rape is generally imprisonment for six to 10 years. Pharmacies are plentiful, but not all medicines found in the U.S. are available. otherwise distributing OSAC-derived information in a manner inconsistent with this policy may result in the discontinuation of OSAC support. Review OSACs report, All That You Should crimes. risk of victimization. On June 4, Attorney General Rodolfo Delgado ordered the arrest of former mayor of San Salvador and prominent opposition politician Ernesto Muyshondt for the charge of misappropriation of tax withholdings to the detriment of the Public Treasury while mayor. protection; using the courts to seek redress for IPR violations is often a slow On May 24, Elba Chacon, coordinator of the human rights program at the Network of Survivors and Persons with Disabilities Foundation, asked the government to update the statistics on persons with disabilities. and IPR by conducting raids against distributors and manufacturers of pirated The constitution provides for the freedoms of peaceful assembly and association, and the government generally respected these rights, although many nongovernmental organizations that were critical of the government or whose activities did not align with government policies faced threats or restrictions during the year (see section 5). U.S. citizen residents/travelers should insist on speaking to U.S. Embassy representatives upon arrest or detention. notably declined since 2015's high of 104 per 100,000 inhabitants, El Salvador of other state services. According to the Ministry of Labor, migrant workers have the same rights as citizens, but the ministry did not effectively protect their rights. Crime can Would you like to continue with this session or log out? mumps, rubella, tetanus, pertussis, and chickenpox are much more common than in Driving while intoxicated is common and When the gang members realized the victim and his friend resided in a different neighborhood, the gang members shot the victim, while the friend managed to escape. As he was escorted from the court, Muyshondt declared himself as the first political prisoner of the Bukele dictatorship. Despite a court order from the Third Criminal Chamber again granting house arrest for Muyshondt, the General Directorate of Penal Centers never released him, claiming it did not have an available ankle-monitoring bracelet. Reuters was unable to reach Osorio or a lawyer for him, and could not independently verify the authenticity of the alleged confession. Salvadors citizenry. Some workers, such as bus drivers, bill collectors, messengers, and teachers in high-risk areas, reported being subject to extortion and death threats by gang members. Monitored See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. Each major city, municipality, or town has a PNC delegation. According to the Conduct in UN Field Missions online portal, there were no new allegations against El Salvadoran peacekeepers brought in the year. "It corresponds to a problem of accepting as a society that this can happen to women," Medrano said. Gang members did not allow persons living in another gangs area to enter their territory, even when travelling via public transportation. By the time authorities arrived, the bodies of Palomo, her brother and her mother were found, along with another 14 corpses initially discovered in a mass grave behind the home, Justice and Security Minister Gustavo Villatoro told journalists on May 20. Review OSACs report, Understanding the During the rainy season (May-October), heavy and persistent storms can cause landslides, topple trees/power lines, and wash away roads and bridges. In July, OAS representatives stated they offered Muyshondt an honorary contract but did not formally hire him and that the contract was never signed.