El Salvador has recorded the highest level of public confidence in the police among the Latin American countries measured in the Latinobarómetro 2024 survey, highlighting a significant shift in citizens’ perceptions of public security institutions.
According to the study, 65% of Salvadorans expressed “a lot” or “some” confidence in the police, placing El Salvador ahead of Chile at 64%, Uruguay at 59%, Costa Rica at 55%, and Panama at 53%.
The results also position El Salvador substantially above the regional average, which stood at 41%. The country’s score reflects a notable improvement compared with several years of lower public confidence, with the 2024 figure representing the strongest result shown in the survey’s historical series.
The findings come as El Salvador marks the 34th anniversary of the National Civil Police (PNC), an institution established in 1992 as part of the country’s postwar institutional framework.
The Latinobarómetro results underscore the growing confidence Salvadorans place in their police force and reinforce the country’s broader transformation in public security. The figures also place El Salvador at the forefront of Latin America in police trust, according to the 2024 regional survey.