The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) asked El Salvador on Thursday to restore the constitutional rights and guarantees that have been suspended for a year afterthe declaration of a state of emergency to combat the violent gangs that operate in the Central American country.
After a rise in homicides at the end of March of last year, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele asked Congress – where he has a majority – to approve an emergency regime that suspends various constitutional guarantees in order to have tools to attack the so-called “maras”.
“IACHR calls on the State of El Salvador to restore the full validity of the rights and guarantees suspended during the last 12 months within the framework of the emergency regime installed in the country for reasons of citizen security,” it said in a statement.
The controversial measure is widely accepted by Salvadorans, according to various surveys, since it has allowed the capture of more than 66,000 alleged gang members, reducing the number of homicides and extortions, according to official figures.
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