The Costa Rican Minister of Public Security, Jorge Torres, highlighted the security measures promoted by the government of Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele to combat gangs and considered that these actions could be replicated in that Central American country.

Since last March, the emergency regime has been in force in El Salvador, as requested by the executive to the Legislative Assembly to combat criminal groups. This measure was added to the security work with the Territorial Control Plan (PCT), implemented since 2019, when Bukele began managing it.

As a result of the emergency regime, more than 60,000 gang members have been captured by security authorities since last March, according to reports from the National Civil Police. The constitutional measure has allowed a historic reduction in homicides, mainly committed by gang members.

For the Costa Rican official, a “[public security] system like Bukele’s would be great for lowering homicides” in Costa Rica, a country that guarantees guarantees with its justice system and that, until the middle of this month, already had 605 homicides throughout the country. year, surpassing the figure of 603 registered in 2017, considered the most violent in recent decades on Costa Rican soil.

The Costa Rican Minister of Security gave these statements in favor of public security advances in El Salvador to journalists, and they were taken up by “Diario Extra”, from that country, in its print and digital editions of December 29.

“The murder rate has dropped dramatically. However, some international entities have pointed out Bukele’s way of operating and are concerned about human rights, since all gang members are in isolation and sometimes receive only two meals during the day,” the media outlet published.

In addition, he made reference to the wide popularity of the Salvadoran president throughout the region, which has been confirmed by national and international surveys. «Nayib Bukele continues to be the most widely accepted Latin American president, and his popularity has skyrocketed. Even a few weeks ago he was in Costa Rica, visited some tourist places, and took pictures with locals who agreed with his views, “reads the newspaper’s publication.

Here, in El Salvador, the political opposition gives Costa Rica as an example of the most advanced country in the region in terms of security because it does not have an army; however, it has a police force that some say is militarized. The Salvadoran opposition has not given its vote to approve and extend the emergency regime.