Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) and her colleagues in the Congressional El Salvador Caucus have sent a bipartisan letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, urging the State Department to update El Salvador’s travel advisory to “Level 1: Exercise normal precautions.” This request reflects the significant improvements in safety within the country.
Once considered the most dangerous country globally, El Salvador is now the safest in the Western Hemisphere.
The tough-on-crime approach of President Nayib Bukele has significantly diminished the power and influence of violent gangs. The U.S. must update its policies towards El Salvador to acknowledge this remarkable transformation in public safety.
Read: Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz Leads Bipartisan Call For Downgrade Of El Salvador Travel Advisory
“Through safety and lasting peace, prosperity for El Salvador is on the horizon. This prosperity largely depends on the support of the international community, particularly from its most powerful and benevolent neighbor: the United States of America,” wrote the members of the Caucus.
Currently, El Salvador’s travel advisory is at “Level 3,” advising travelers to “reconsider travel” due to “serious risks to safety and security.” However, President Bukele’s policies have led to the incarceration of over 75,000 violent gang members, making El Salvador the safest country in the Western Hemisphere since 2023. The country’s homicide rate has declined from a high of 104 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2015 to 2.4 in 2024, now lower than nearly every major city in the United States. Given that many tourists review State Department advisories before traveling, this updated safety data should be reflected in the advisories.
As Chairwoman of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and a representative of many Salvadoran Americans in South Florida, Congresswoman Salazar has highlighted the threat of gang violence in El Salvador and praised President Bukele’s public safety achievements. She has also called on the Biden Administration to increase engagement with El Salvador and consider adopting similar safety measures in the United States.
The letter was led by Caucus Chairs Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX).
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