The Director of the French Institute for Justice, Pierre-Marie Sève, has highlighted the dramatic reduction in homicides in El Salvador, citing it as a clear example of effective criminal justice policy under the leadership of President Nayib Bukele.
In a post shared via his official X account, Sève compared the 6,656 murders registered in 2015 during the FMLN government of Salvador Sánchez Cerén with the 114 homicides reported in 2024 under Bukele’s administration. “In between? Nayib Bukele simply put criminals in jail,” wrote Sève, who heads the French legal reform think tank and NGO. President Bukele reposted the statement on his official channel.
Sève also noted that El Salvador’s homicide rate, now at 1.9 per 100,000 inhabitants, could fall below that of France, reinforcing the nation’s transformation from one of the world’s most violent countries to one of the safest in the Western Hemisphere. Vice President Félix Ulloa echoed this sentiment, responding that El Salvador is the safest country in the Americas.
This recognition follows the sixth anniversary of the Territorial Control Plan (PCT), launched by Bukele on June 20, 2019, to dismantle gangs and restore public safety. The strategy was later reinforced by the state of emergency, declared in March 2022, enabling swift arrests and expanded security operations.
Experts agree the results are substantial. Sociologist René Martínez emphasized the long-term impact of the PCT on public perception:
“The plan has had a cultural impact and will not allow gangs to regroup. Achieving peace has been a long and painful path, but the results are highly positive for the country.”
Public administration analyst Nelson Flores also highlighted the role of community support, noting that military security cordons, such as the one recently deployed in San Bartolo, Ilopango, respond directly to citizen demands to prevent gang reorganization.
The French Institute for Justice, founded under French law in 1901, is composed of legal experts, victims, and citizens advocating for criminal justice reform. Its endorsement of El Salvador’s security transformation further positions the country as an emerging global model for effective anti-crime policy.