UNITED NATIONS (AP) — El Salvador President Nayib Bukele trumpeted the success of his gang crackdown during his speech at the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday, crediting his administration’s will against international criticism over human rights violations.
Bukele said that if El Salvador had listened to external critics — including some at the United Nations — the tiny Central American country would again be the murder capital of the world.
More than 72,000 people have been arrested under a state of emergency Bukele requested in March 2022 after a surge in gang violence.
The special powers that Congress granted Bukele suspended some fundamental rights such as access to a lawyer and being told the reason for one’s arrest.
They will likely be the centerpiece of his campaign for re-election next year, something prohibited by El Salvador’s constitution but allowed by court justices selected by his supporters in the Legislative Assembly.
El Salvador’s newfound security has drawn more international visitors and is beginning to attract Salvadorans who moved away long ago to escape the violence, he said.
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