MEXICO CITY (AP) — El Salvador’s government has begun slapping a $1,130 fee on travelers from dozens of countries connecting through the nation’s main airport, amid U.S. pressure to help control migration flows to its southern border.
Aviation officials did not say whether the measure was aimed at reducing migration and have described the tariff as an “airport improvement fee,” but El Salvador’s government acknowledged an uptick in travelers from those countries this year.
But the ability to help the U.S. control migration could be a political boon for El Salvador President Nayib Bukele as he seeks reelection despite a constitutional prohibition and faces scrutiny for his human rights record.
During President Donald Trump’s administration, U.S. policy toward El Salvador prioritized reining in migration above all else and Bukele heard no public criticism from the U.S. as he began to consolidate power.
The U.S. State Department alleged that Bukele’s war against powerful street gangs has resulted in “torture and other cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment, and other related abuses” to tens of thousands of people detained.
“We are exploring the full range of possible consequences for those who facilitate this form of irregular migration,” wrote U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian A. Nichols in a post on X, formerly Twitter, this month.
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