Homicides down, disappearances up: El Salvador's conflicting numbers
Homicide rates in El Salvador are set to be at their lowest in years, yet the number of disappearances has increased dramatically in the same time, suggesting that the Salvadoran government does not have as tight of a grasp on security issues as initial figures may imply.
As 2018 draws to a close, the latest figures from the National Civil Police of El Salvador (Policía Nacional Civil – PNC) tell a tale of two countries.
Murder rates in 2018 have dropped to their lowest levels since the 2012 gang truce, with 3,151 homicides registered as of December 7. However, 3,382 people have been reported missing, almost 200 more than the year before.
This year, seven to 10 Salvadorans disappeared on average each day, El Diario reported. The number of those going missing has increased steadily over the years, and 2018 will end with 2,000 more names on the list of disappeared than three years ago.
On December 11, the Attorney General’s Office announced a new strategy aimed at facilitating a more effective response to reports of missing persons. Developed in conjunction with the Canadian government and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the protocol allows authorities to begin searching for a person as soon as they are reported missing.
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