El Salvador continues to solidify its status as the safest country in the Western Hemisphere and a rising global reference in security reform. In a historic visit, the first official delegation from the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, led by Governor Romeu Zema and Secretary of Justice and Public Security Rogério Greco, arrived in El Salvador to study the security model implemented by President Nayib Bukele.
The delegation held a high-level meeting with the Vice President of the Republic, Félix Ulloa Jr., who presented the results of the Territorial Control Plan (#PlanControlTerritorial), a comprehensive security strategy that has dramatically transformed public safety across the nation. “When we decided to do things with our own resources and talent, all made in El Salvador, we began to succeed,” said Vice President Ulloa, emphasizing the country’s independent approach to solving its security crisis.
Vice President Ulloa outlined the scale of the challenge El Salvador once faced, noting that between 2009 and 2019, the country recorded approximately 41,000 homicides, according to the Institute of Legal Medicine. Today, those staggering numbers have been reduced by 99%, thanks to a security model built on national sovereignty, strategic law enforcement, and community-based prevention.
Key to this transformation are initiatives like the Centros Urbanos de Bienestar y Oportunidades (CUBO), created under phase two of the security plan, known as “Opportunities.” These urban centers provide at-risk youth with access to education, technology, and cultural development in areas formerly controlled by gangs. The Vice President also emphasized El Salvador’s legal reforms, including the non-expiration of corruption crimes—a move that reinforces the country’s commitment to justice and accountability.
Governor Zema, visibly impressed by what he witnessed, highlighted the powerful impact of the strategy on Salvadoran communities. “We visited Las Palmas and spoke with residents; everyone is very satisfied with the changes over the past few years,” he stated. He further encouraged international organizations to visit the country and verify its progress directly.
In a parallel address, Christian Guevara, head of the Nuevas Ideas legislative group, presented the “Zero Idleness” program, through which 18,000 incarcerated individuals now contribute to the country by manufacturing school desks and government uniforms from within the prison system. This initiative forms part of a larger strategy to rehabilitate inmates and promote productivity.
The Brazilian delegation’s visit reaffirms growing international interest in El Salvador’s security transformation—not only as a benchmark in reducing crime but also as a powerful case study in political will, national identity, and comprehensive reform. As Zema seeks potential solutions to Brazil’s own crisis—where more than 40,000 violent deaths are recorded annually—El Salvador’s experience stands as a compelling model.