El Salvador President Nayib Bukele has published an 18-minute video presentation to address media reports suggesting his government planned to release 50% of imprisoned gang members, or approximately 46,000 inmates.
In the explanation, Bukele said the proposal instead concerns reviewing around half of an estimated 10,626 people classified as lower-level collaborators, rather than full gang members or active participants in criminal organizations. The review would consider eligibility for accelerated benefits through the government’s Cero Ocio rehabilitation program.
Bukele also outlined the composition of the country’s prison population, distinguishing between senior gang members, individuals involved in supporting criminal operations, and people accused of less direct forms of collaboration. He maintained that core gang members would not be included in the proposed review.
The president argued that rehabilitation and carefully assessed reintegration measures could help prevent prisons from becoming environments where less serious offenders develop stronger criminal connections. He presented the approach as an alternative to policies focused exclusively on either punishment or leniency.
The announcement comes amid the government’s broader security strategy, which Bukele has linked to the sharp decline in homicides in El Salvador. His explanation seeks to clarify the scope of the proposed prison review and distinguish it from a general release of incarcerated gang members.