Gang activity has declined over the past three years. This has led to a decrease in violent crimes and homicides, according to the U.S. Department of State.
On Tuesday, the United States granted El Salvador the highest possible travel safety rating, placing the country among the least dangerous for American travelers. The decision cites the significant reduction in gang activity and crime.
The U.S. Department of State upgraded the Central American nation from Level 2, which advises travelers to exercise increased caution, to Level 1, its safest rating, which simply encourages travelers to take normal precautions.
The change comes five months after the U.S. had already upgraded its travel advisory from Level 3 to Level 2. Travel advisories range from Level 1 to Level 4, with Level 1 being the safest.
In Central America, Panama, Costa Rica, and Belize remain at Level 2, while Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua are still classified as Level 3, which carries the recommendation to “reconsider travel.”
In response to the new advisory, El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, who is expected to be received at the White House next week, stated on X that his country “just received the U.S. State Department’s travel gold star: Level 1 – as safe as it gets.”
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Bukele’s leadership has been key in improving the country’s safety for international travelers.
“Gang activity, violent crime, and homicides in El Salvador have decreased significantly,” added the top U.S. diplomat, who visited the country in March as part of his tour through Central America and the Dominican Republic.
Likewise, U.S. Ambassador to El Salvador William Duncan emphasized that the updated travel alert is “a significant step forward.”
The Trump administration has praised Bukele’s offer to house suspected criminals deported from the United States at the Center for the Confinement of Terrorism (CECOT), primarily Venezuelan nationals alleged to be members of the Tren de Aragua criminal group—an effort aligned with U.S. President’s campaign promise to deport large numbers of migrants.
Deportations from the U.S. to El Salvador have become the subject of an ongoing legal battle.
Just over three years ago, in March 2022, the Salvadoran government declared a state of emergency in response to a brutal gang attack that left 87 people dead in a single weekend. Thirty-seven extensions later, the measure remains in effect.
In 2024, nearly 40% of the 3.9 million foreign visitors to El Salvador came from the United States, according to data from the Ministry of Tourism.
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Source: Bloomberg Linea
