El Salvador approves sixth extension of state of emergency to fight gangs

Sep. 15 () –

The National Assembly of El Salvador has approved on Wednesday the sixth extension of the state of emergency in the country, which will complete its seventh month under the mechanism that allows the Salvadoran government to suspend certain freedoms and guarantees, citing its fight against gangs.

With 65 votes in favor and 12 against, the Parliament of El Salvador has taken forward a new extension that will begin next September 19 and will be maintained for 30 more days, as requested this Wednesday by the Ministry of the Interior, as reported by ‘La Prensa Grafica’.

As with every extension, the Government has assured that the extension of the state of exception serves to continue fighting “terrorist gang members” and protecting families who “day by day work for a better future”.

In the 171 days that the state of exception has been in force, 52,000 people have been captured and 99 days without murders have been counted, which implies a reduction of violence, as detailed by the Salvadoran National Assembly in a communiqué.

During the period of the state of exception, the Salvadoran government is empowered to suspend certain freedoms and guarantees to facilitate the deployment of military and police in the streets and in the municipalities where these homicides occurred.

Specifically, this measure allows throughout the country the suspension of the right of assembly, the increase of the maximum of detention from 72 hours to 15 days, the elimination of the right of defense and the elimination of the right not to be tapped in telecommunications, as detailed by the above-mentioned newspaper.

United Nations and organizations such as Human Right Watch or Amnesty International have repeatedly shown their concern for the “serious evidence” of human rights abuses since the state of emergency was adopted on March 27, 2022.