El Salvador Roundup: 1000 homicide-free days, border tensions with Honduras, abortion ban scrutiny, and debt concerns

El Salvador reaches 1000 days without homicides

The National Civil Police announced that El Salvador has now completed 1000 days without recording a single homicide nationwide. The government presents this milestone as proof of the success of its security strategies, which have transformed the country’s image after decades of gang-related violence. Authorities highlight it as a sign of greater stability and public safety, although critics argue that the achievement comes at the cost of questions about civil liberties under the state of exception.

Honduras accuses El Salvador of maritime incursion

The Honduran Armed Forces accused El Salvador’s navy of entering its territorial waters in the Gulf of Fonseca, despite repeated radio warnings to withdraw. Honduras declared a state of “maximum alert,” citing violations of sovereignty and recalling past disputes over maritime boundaries, while also reinforcing its naval and aerial presence in the contested zone.

Podcast highlights El Salvador’s total abortion ban

A new investigation from Latino USA and El Faro English sheds light on the impact of El Salvador’s absolute abortion ban. Nearly 200 women have been imprisoned in the past 26 years after obstetric emergencies, with cases like Teodora Vásquez—sentenced to 30 years—illustrating the human toll of the law. The report underscores how the legislation criminalises miscarriages and stillbirths, leaving women vulnerable to long prison sentences and limited medical protection.

Opposition questions rising public debt

Opposition lawmaker Claudia Ortiz criticised the government’s reliance on loans, noting that public debt has already surpassed $33 billion. She pointed out that the recent approval of $250 million from the World Bank, allocated under “general obligations,” raised concerns over transparency and long-term economic stability. Ortiz warned that repeated borrowing without clear allocation risks deepening fiscal dependence and undermining the government’s claim that the 2025 national budget would be fully financed without new debt.