A recent study by legal experts suggests that El Salvador’s aggressive mass incarceration strategy, championed by President Nayib Bukele, may have led to crimes against humanity. Over the past four years, Bukele has implemented a state of exception that has resulted in the detention of approximately 1.4% of the nation’s population without due process. While this policy has significantly reduced violence, transforming El Salvador into one of the least violent countries in Latin America, it has also raised serious concerns regarding fundamental human rights and the adherence to legal norms.

The report, compiled by the Due Process of Law Foundation, details numerous human rights abuses occurring under this mass arrest framework, including arbitrary imprisonment, torture, murder, and forced disappearances. The findings reveal that these actions are not random but rather systemic, indicating that they are part of a policy promoted by high government officials. This systematic oppression has led the authors to assert that there are reasonable grounds to believe that crimes against humanity are being committed in El Salvador.

In response to these alarming findings, the report calls for international intervention, urging the United Nations to establish a mission aimed at investigating these violations of human rights. The call emphasizes the urgent need for accountability and oversight regarding the actions of the Salvadoran government, as the ramifications of the mass arrest policy raised questions about the balance between security and human rights, posing a challenge for international organizations addressing these complex issues in governance today.